Against the Current
by OCfan11
Summary: All little girls are not just little girls in Detroit: Become Human. Emma Phillips is no exception. (Also known as that time an android cat and its mechanic low-key destroyed the flow chart.)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

A little girl shoots up in her bed, breathing hard.

"Just a dream," she says, hand over heart and deep panicked breathes. "It's just a nightmare."

But she knows it's not just a dream.

Just like she was not always Emma Phillips.

She was not always _she_.

And her dreams are memories of fires and death, of peaceful protests, and of androids who liberate or doom the world.

"My name is Emma," says the little girl with a slight hysterical laugh to her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She is _they_ , a combination of a previous life where the whole world was a game. Everything was set like a chess board and no one could deviate from the choices that made their flow charts. "And this is my story."

;;;

It starts in 2032, her deviations. In preschool, Emma makes friends with the boys who will hang out with a girl that plays in mud and picks up worms. Her mother buys her cute pants instead of skirts when she comes home covered in dirt and a smile on her face. Emma becomes a bit of an outcast to the daughters of other high-society parents, and a well-known addition to the boys who dream of race cars and dinosaurs. Everyone else clicks with her some days, but the groups have been formed that will start their early years.

The Phillips think nothing of their daughter going to play with the boys on weekends. Emma makes friends with the older sisters and brothers then, learning small skills and playing tag with the large group of middle to lower class kids. The ultimate deviation, the first break in the world, happens the day the kids giggle and sneak into the dump to look for objects to play with. That day, Emma sees the wasteland of discarded androids.

It's not big. Androids have been on the market for a few years and they are expensive. So expensive, that some of the families she hangs around with know how to fix them for a cheaper price. Lucas is an older boy who takes her fascination with them and teaches her the parts of an android. In exchange, she helps gather the parts his family needs to fix whatever android's been brought for a tune-up that week.

Once upon a time, she – _they_ – loved technology enough to sit behind a desk. Now, they want more. If she trusted CyberLife, maybe Emma would take her passion for putting parts together and join the company. As it is, _they_ know not to trust the company until after whatever revolution happens in some years.

She'll be older then. Maybe she can still join.

(Just need to make sure her parents don't buy an android.)

No matter, she hates the days androids are added to the dump. It feels disrespectful to rip out their organs on a normal afternoon. Sometimes they are still alive.

"Just wait a few days," Lucas tells her uncaringly. "You're too weak to fight them off if they grab you. The flailing ones run out of energy by tomorrow morning, and the others who power-save will fail by the day after."

The girl only takes parts from androids who don't move after being poked with a stick. It's the only compromise she can make with herself.

;;;

In 2033, Emma finishes what was six months of hiding android parts in her room as she attempted to repair an android cat. She finishes during the last weeks of preschool, finally having enough spare Thirium 310 boxed up in case anything leaks when she turns it – _him_ – on. Finding parts his size was hard, so she has a spot in the dump where old cars are stacked to make an unknowing shelter to store parts she couldn't use.

Her parents are out for a night on the town and the babysitter is outside smoking. Emma activates the android.

"Fudge," the girl swears and jumps back as the cat goes crazy and frenzies all over the room. She stands back and watches him tear up her blankets and knock over toys. Eventually he runs out of energy, the front legs collapsing, and yowls pitifully. Emma waits until his narrowed eyed gaze locks on her and he meows angrily in a _get over here and help me_ way. "Will you attack me?"

He scoffs, body shifting to appear like a real, long-haired cat's appearance. _Do I look like I would?_

"You just destroyed my room," Emma points out, slowly inching her way over on her knees. The cat with patches of fur mangled and covered in spots of brown, black, and white purrs like a lawnmower when she hesitantly touches him. "Can you deactivate the fur? I need to make sure your leg joints are functional."

He does. It takes hours and a few bowls of Thirium before he warms up to her. Emma fixes the joints and proper organs that destabilize, but even with a working body the cat doesn't like moving all that much unless to scratch something.

"Come on, Scrafty," Emma holds up the covers of her bed for him. His seemingly permanently-unimpressed face gives her a _look_ as he hops up and snuggles for warmth. "I'll show you around Detroit tomorrow."

It takes a month before her parents realize she's got a cat in her room. Scrafty doesn't like them, but then Scrafty doesn't like anyone. They don't realize he's an android, and leave his care up to her since she was doing so well without telling them before. Cat food is left in the alleyway behind the building, and kitty litter is switched out once a week and brought to the dump to put out any accidental fires. Legally, Emma owns a cat. Not even the other kids pick up on the android part and just think he's old and lame for staying still and quiet in her hoods. Only Emma knows he's always watching and never trusting of anyone except his repair woman.

Only he knows the stories she – _they_ – have stuck in their head from a life once lived.

;;;

2034 comes with the release of the PL600 model.

John and Caroline Phillips make no mention about buying an android and Emma quietly counts the days. At five years old, the girl goes to school and does well enough her parents never take interest in the daughter outside of asking if she wouldn't mind a little brother or sister. Emma doesn't get her hopes up that she'll get one, but some days she imagines being a different person from cannon-Emma has made an impact on the world. If it has, she doesn't see it.

Scrafty sometimes comes along with her to school. He's good at hiding where others can't find him and always waits for her like a parent waiting to pick up their child. Emma likes these days because she's more comfortable going to the dump when he's around. She still has her group of friends, but she likes the isolation of her car-hut. After two years of scavenging, she's filled containers with spare parts and has old Tupperware storing Thirium. As long as it isn't exposed to the air long, the liquid stays.

"I'm sorry we're late, dear," Caroline Phillips is a loving mother whose job demands a lot lest she be fired. With their amazing balcony and pool apartment, both parents must work to pay bills. Emma would have been happy if they were around more, living in a smaller place, but being able to sneak out is a bonus she can only get here. By now it's an art, arriving before the babysitter comes and staying long enough until he needs to go out for a smoke. "Jackson will be looking after you for a few hours tomorrow."

"Alright," Emma replies easy and watches her mother flutter around the kitchen with a haggard look.

John comes home and talks about his day working at CyberLife. "They're already working on a newer model. The domestic android models will soon drop in price if they keep releasing one after another."

Here, Emma sees the seeds of thought planted in her mother. The woman does not act on it though, and the little girl – _they_ – take comfort from that.

Summer comes. More time playing with her friends than collecting parts in the junkyard. Lucas introduces her to Alice Williams. "She just moved into the neighborhood."

Emma's skin crawls as she shakes the hand of a timid real human who will one day have an android named after her by her father. "It's nice to meet you."

While Scrafty doesn't like anyone but Emma, he lets Alice pet him because he knows the stories. The little girl giggles, and Lucas gets a scratch on the cheek for trying to pet him as well.

Alice moves away with her mother before the summer ends.

Emma is not moping as she scours the dead androids with Scrafty. She's happy her friend got out of an abusive home. She's disappointed her mother's withdrawn after learning some hard news, but the girl never let her hopes get up. If Emma's avoiding her problems, then she's doing it in the low buzzing silence of the dead.

It's these thoughts, this inattention to her surroundings, that means she doesn't see the android until he's practically running into her.

"S-sorry," the PL600 stutters statically, dripping Thirium from its – _his_ – mouth and reaching out to steady her. In her hood comes a feral hiss.

"Scrafty, no!" Emma tries to grab the cat but it's too late. He gets a few swipes in before the android falls back, startled. The girl rips her cat away, holding him possessively to her chest and bouncing on her feet as they both stare down the dazed and coughing android. "Mister?"

"S-sorry," he chokes out again and sputters Thirium. "S-sorry. C-child."

"Mister?" Emma repeats quieter. She hushes her cat when he hisses and spits more. "It's not Daniel. Don't be mean to him."

When she looks up the android is watching the two with unfocused eyes. "I n-need to g-go."

"I think you need different lungs," Emma mutters, slowly lowering to her knees and shuffling off her backpack. "Maybe some new vocal chords."

"Y-yes," the PL600 stutters and his human skin map falters in a few places around his head. He lists out a few component types, and of course Emma doesn't have everything he needs.

"Wait here," she tells the android and her cat without thinking too much on it. If she does, she may start crying. "There should be a match around here somewhere."

Scrafty guards the backpack with his life and a disdainful glare aimed at the world. He's being pissed at his mechanic _for_ his mechanic, since she won't hate herself for fixing a model that may end up killing her. He hates all PL600 models. Anyone of them could become Daniel. Every one of them causes her to flinch.

"Thank you," the android says with a forcibly cheery tone after they've fixed him up. Emma doesn't meet his eyes. "Would you happen to have a way to get Thirium 310 that I can consume?"

Emma sighs and turns to her grumbling cat. He doesn't give up the backpack without a fight. A couple warning scratches later, he's back in her hood while she drags the pack over and slides out a square container of the blue liquid. "Careful. It evaporates fast."

"I will intake it quickly," he replies. Emma looks away as he drinks, but turns to him when he hands back the empty container. The skin map is fully functional again. "Thank you for the assistance."

"Sure," Emma puts the items back and gets to her feet. "Stay safe."

"Would it be rude to ask for your name?" She pauses, back to him. "I am not working at full capacity quite yet, so I apologize if I've overstepped."

"You haven't." She shrugs. "I'm Emma."

"My name is Simon." He pauses. "I believe."

The girl cracks a smile and turns so Scrafty isn't glaring at him from the shadows of her hood. "If you ever see me around here, don't be a stranger."

"I don't think that would be possible," he says pleasantly. "We have exchanged names, so we will never be strangers if we meet again."

Emma giggles, and the android – _Simon_ – grins at her from where he continues to sit on the ground. "It was nice to meet you, Simon."

"You as well, Emma. Thank you for helping with my repairs."

But of course, it isn't the last time she sees him and he isn't the last android she helps. Like a flip has been switched, Emma helps the ones who know what parts they need replaced. Scrafty doesn't like sharing his mechanic and takes that anger out on the androids who grab at her. Those who call her names as they pass through the junkyard get hissed and glared at. Those who politely request her assistance are left with an angry guard cat while she searches for parts.

The deviants – the ones who don't want to die – leave the junkyard with a story of a girl who helped fix them. They leave thinking not all humans are bad. Unbeknownst to Emma, and to all of Detroit, they are the ones who make up the foundation of a group which starts to live in an abandoned ship called Jericho.

The next time Emma sees Simon is in the beginning of October. He, along with two others she recognizes and knows the names of, comes with smiles which the girl automatically distrusts.

"Can you show us how to harvest Thirium?" Simon asks once the pleasantries are over.

She has no reason not too.

A week later he shows up again, alone. "Would you be able to get us some parts?"

"You could look yourself," Emma says, standoffishly. Scrafty growls his agreement.

"We could," Simon agrees. "But…"

 _It feels wrong._

"I'll do it when I can," Emma frowns. "Neither of us is supposed to be here."

"That's all I ask."

She sends containers of sorted parts once a month. Someone she helped always comes for the boxes she leaves out, and always returns them the next week. Never once does she reveal the secret area made of broken cars. The parts she doesn't give away go there, while the Thirium is rotated to always be somewhat fresh.

Emma goes to school. Plays with her friends. Spends weekday afternoons in the dump. Weekends are the few times her mother and father spend time with her if they're home. If not, Emma spends the time playing with the kids from school. Scrafty either spends the day near or on her, or sleeping in her bedroom. From the few stories shared with the deviants, their little group home is doing well.

The new year comes and goes with less time spent in junkyard because of the cold. Then, Emma doesn't return for a few months as part of the junkyard is refurbished into a solid waste landfill; a proper dumping grounds for androids.

"Isn't it great?" Lucas asks. "All of them in one place, ripe for the taking!"

Emma spends the night crying out her emotions while Scrafty tolerates her hugging him. "You're real, Scrafty. _You're real_."

She – _they_ – are real too. A human in a world where androids will rise.

Simon greets her the first time she's back to regular biocomponent drops. "We weren't sure you'd be back."

"I'll always come back," Emma replies easily, handing him a box of freshly harvested Thirium. "I'm sorry I couldn't send word. Is everyone alright?"

It's a long pause before he answers. "They are."

He still has his LED, no matter how many times people offer to remove it for him. Emma doesn't need to see it go red to know _he lies_. "I'm sorry."

"I am glad you came back," Simon replies. "It is selfish, but I do not want to ask anyone else to find parts. Gathering Thirium is already hard for us."

Scrafty hisses disapprovingly at his mechanic being used. It turns to a purr when Emma reaches back to pet him. "I know it is. I know why you asked me to do this. But thank you, for saying it. Don't feel guilty, Simon."

He breathes out sharply, like he's trying not to laugh behind his broken smile. "I wasn't sure what it was I felt. I just knew I couldn't face you after asking."

"At least you feel," Emma smiles a little back. "I'm around if you ever want to talk through feelings."

He grins sadly. "You are still a child, Emma."

Is she? "Doesn't mean I can't help."

He almost ruffles her hair. Scrafty swipes the moment he's near though, never stopping the dislike for this particular model. "You help enough."

Now she's the guilty one, facing the boxes of biocomponents and Thirium she has tucked away.

;;;

The first time she hears the suggestion from her mother, Emma goes cold. "What if we get an android to look after her?"

They don't know she is around the corner of the apartment, listening. All she wanted was a snack. Instead, her father's voice echoes in her head. "Why would we need to do that?"

"It would save us money in the long-term. We wouldn't need to pay for a sitter and we have someone to look after her when she takes the bus to her friends."

"She's been going to see them for years," but there's a note to his voice that means he's thinking about it. "They are very expensive, dear."

"They can't stay that way forever," Caroline scoffs. "Not with how many are released per year. We just need one to watch her. Maybe help around the house a bit."

"I'll think about it."

In summer her parents withdraw more, with more talks of buying an android. What they discuss comes down to time and money. It is recommended a person be there at least forty-eight hours to make sure their android isn't malfunctioning and follows orders to specification. Their budget isn't as tight as most, but they don't have an extra fifteen thousand dollars to spend.

Then her parents leave for a week. "Thank you for doing this, Jackson."

"It's no trouble, Ms. Phillips," the babysitter says with a smile that means he's already smoked a little before coming. Scrafty is in hiding; he hates the scent of the young man and will only leave Emma's room when he hears him go to the terrace. Emma wonders though, why does Jackson look shifty today? "We'll see you in a week."

"Love you, dear."

"Love you, baby girl."

"Bye! Love you both too!"

Jackson does try for the first few hours. They play board games and he makes dinner. One thing Emma appreciates is his cooking. Then he leaves her to her own devices and goes out to the terrace for a smoke. This time, however, he pulls out his cellphone.

It takes two days before her unsaid questions are answered. Hearing voices, Emma stays in her room with Scrafty, door locked. After a few hours, her stomach begs for breakfast so she peeks out. Disappointment crushes the girl because she had hoped the guy hadn't been in it for the money her parents pay. Not so. Jackson and two others are high out of their minds on Red Ice on her couch. She's probably not even a thought now.

Emma takes Scrafty in her hood and wanders to a café, all smiles and _of course her parents know where she is._

The waitress is easy to fool. The cop sitting in the booth, not so much. He sends his son over. "Hi! I'm Cole!"

;;;

Like Alice, Scrafty allows Cole Anderson to pet him. The boy's father, Hank, quickly gets used to the grumpy cat and how Emma never gives anything up to incriminate her parents or babysitter. They see each other a lot that summer, eventually meeting her parents when Hank and Cole accidently crash her birthday dinner in September. This is how her parents learn that Jackson isn't the amazing young man they thought he was, what with how often Emma meets the two alone.

Emma doesn't know whether to laugh or curse when she realizes Hank is the reason they start saving up for an android.

Some days the kids hang out at school, her in second grade and him in first. She's invited to his birthday on the 23rd and it's the moment with his sixth birthday invitation in her hand that drills a hole through her heart. "I'll be there."

Scrafty is curled up in her lap that night as she turns the invitation over and over in her hands. "I don't want him to die, Scrafty."

Is she – _are they_ – already a deviation enough? Will someone else be condemned if he lives through the years? What if it's just postponing the inevitable?

She's been so focused on her own survival, this is another guilt to add to her tally.

Then comes another problem. "Mr. Williams ordered us to build him a 'droid," Lucas says while he and Emma search the junkyard. "Not a sex doll like some of the others, but, like, a kid. Everyone's up in arms about it." He huffs. "We still need to find parts for one. I think dad wants the challenge of removing the danger-alerts."

"Those things that say they're abused?" Emma asks.

"They also alert if they're stolen." Lucas kicks an android head, watching it crash into a pile of moving limbs. "If we manage to reboot one, we have to make sure they don't call the police on us."

"Mr. Williams is an idiot," Emma spits. Her friend laughs.

Just another hint of plot progressing.

"Happy birthday," Emma holds out the gift while her parents talk to Hank behind her. Cole takes it with a glowing smile and introduces her to the few kids she doesn't know from school.

Cole smiles almost devilishly when he sees Scrafty jump from her hood and slink into the shadows. "Thanks for bringing him."

"You did ask."

Cole, it seems, realizes the cat has some level of intelligence beyond normal. What was supposed to be a prank where Scrafty swats ankles from under the couch gets revealed early at Hank's shout. "Emma! What's your fleabag doing here?"

Cole's smiling, abashed, while she groans when they run to the living room to see his dad trying to get the cat out from there with a broom. "I asked her to bring him, dad."

"Sorry, Mr. Anderson. He won't get in the way, I promise."

"Gees, kid," Hank wheezes and glares at the snickering guests watching the show. "He doesn't shed much, right?"

"No?" Not at all.

"Thank God."

The first school day after Cole's birthday, the kid runs up to her with a big smile, "We have a dog!"

Oh. "That's awesome! Boy or girl?"

"Boy! His name is Sumo!"

If only Emma could remember when this boy is supposed to die. Sometime soon. When it's icy. Leaving behind his dad and his new dog. The more Hank's backstory builds, the more Emma feels like she's drowning. "That's a great name. Do you… think he likes cats?"

"I don't know. Come over after school! We can find out then!"

Sumo does like cats. Scrafty is indifferent to the small mammal that will one day grow large. The puppy enjoys sitting next to the cat rather than playing with them, much to the kids' dismay. Hank takes pictures of the moment Cole dog-piles Emma, with Sumo and Scrafty then lying down on both their backs.

(Later, he frames it.)

It gets abnormally cold in October. Scrafty refuses to leave the bedroom some days and his front paw limp acts up. Simon shows up one of those days, asking if she can find any clothing for them instead of parts.

"I guess," Emma huffs into her cold hands, uncertain. "There won't be many things around here. You'd be better off raiding a shelter."

He stills smiles and keeps his tone even, though she's sure he disproves of the suggestion. A bit hysterically, the girl thinks _Simon will remember that_. "Any little bit can help, Emma."

"I'll look," she tells him. "Can you help me lift an HR400 from a pile? He was asking for help but I can't do more then shuffle everything around."

Simon messes her hair, making her squawk in protest. "Show me where he is."

It is October 11th and Emma stays late with Cole after school since Hank is postponed working on his newest case. Lucas and most of her friends with questionable activities don't stick around when she's with the boy. That's suspicious on its own, but no one looks into it because sweet little Emma plays road hockey and tag with those boys and girls. No one would think she'd know anything about their trash collecting or side business in repairing androids. No one would think she's involved with deviants either, so its all about keeping assumptions in place.

"I taught Sumo to sit," Cole says proudly. "Dad wants to teach him to attack, but he just rolls over."

"Maybe you can show him how to attack?" Emma says innocently.

Cole's grin is wicked. "Do you want to be the target?"

"Not me!"

It is October 11th and the next deviation happens without anyone noticing. Hank and Cole Anderson sleep peacefully in their beds that night.

(Meanwhile, there's a truck that crashed, a paramedic sent to jail for being high on Red Ice, and a deviant android on the loose after saving the truck driver from going up in flames with his cargo.)

"Dad says we're going to build that robo-kid for Mr. Williams," Lucas says on the 16th.

"It will be a nice present," Caroline Phillips says to her husband on the 17th while their daughter's listening around the corner. "We can take a few days off for winter break, teach it how to behave. You'll have to pick the model, though. I don't know what will be on sale."

Mari, an AX400 model, is obviously disappointed by the lack of clothing she picks up on the 18th even if she is sweet to the child who fixed her up months ago. "Thank you, Emma."

Hank drops off Cole and Sumo late at night on the 19th. "Thanks for doing this on such short notice."

"It's no problem," John Phillips says. "I hope you don't mind, but we're have a sitter coming tomorrow."

"As long as they don't go anywhere without supervision," Hank gives his son a look. Emma's been a bad influence that way, but she makes sure Scrafty is with them whenever they go out adventuring so they have some protection. Hank, obviously, does not trust the cat to save them. Coles jokes about Scrafty ruling the world don't help.

After giving the tour, Emma promises that, come summer, she'll have Cole over to teach him how to swim. They stay up late telling stories, spend the next day watching movies while Jackson jitters because joints aren't giving him a fix like Red Ice does.

"Dad's been on cases about missing androids lately," Cole says with a frown after watching some mecha-robot save the world from aliens. "He thinks they're killing their owners."

"Why?" Emma asks as she pets her cat to hide shaking hands.

"What do you mean?"

"Why are they killing them?"

"Does it matter? Somebody is and killing's wrong."

"Well," Emma glances at the credits. Scrafty purrs loudly to drown out the heavy-metal end song. "Would you blame Sumo for killing someone who was attacking you?"

"No," he frowns. "But why would someone do that?"

"Because people can be bad. Would you blame a nanny android for saving their charge, even if they have orders not to harm the person hurting them?"

Cole frowns deeper. "I guess not. But it's not like that actually happens."

Emma hums sadly. "I hope it doesn't."

If only the world were a nicer place.

Sunday hits and Emma's mother bundles them up and takes them to the park for the day. Scrafty stays behind in the apartment while Sumo runs after the ball they throw for him. Today, Emma enjoys every laugh and chase. She enjoys dragging and being dragged around by Cole. She takes comfort seeing the soft smile her mother wears as she's finally there to watch her only child be a child.

It is Sunday, October 21st, 2035, and what goes around comes around. Emma marches into the boy's bathroom after ten minutes and no reply from Cole. The gun in the deviant android's hand turns to train on her and Cole yells out, "No!"

"You should have stayed outside, little girl," the male android says with a tight voice.

"You're scaring my friend," Emma says softly, watching the man twitch in shame. "If you leave, we won't tell anyone."

The LED flashes and stays red. "As I was telling your friend, you're coming with me."

No, they're not. "What if you just take me, Mister?"

"Emma," Cole hisses, eyes wide and twitching as if he's going to move. The kids know, however, that if this android wanted them dead or incapacitated he would have done it already. They are stronger and faster than most humans. The kids are just kids, but it doesn't mean they can't help each other. "No."

"Like your friend said," the android says tightly, remorse flashing before he swings the gun around and motions Cole forwards. "Now, get moving you two. Don't cause a scene."

"We won't," Emma says, holding Cole's hand tightly when he reaches her. Always, she puts herself between him and the gun. They are marched through the park, and she notices the cop car slowly circling. So, the police are on the lookout for the deviant. "What's your name, Mister?"

"Q-" he cuts off the curt reply, as if remembering they're children. "My- I'm- I was called Brock."

"Hello Brock," she whispers as she glances to the side, where her mother is talking to some parents. "My name is Emma. Can you tell us why you decided to become deviant?"

"He was going to die," the gun shakes from his pocket. "I was told not to go in, but he was going to die. I was assigned to a paramedic. I was made to save people. I couldn't stand around and watch him die."

"That makes sense," Emma says softly. She squeezes Cole's hand warningly. "Thank you for saving someone."

"…You're welcome, Emma."

He pulls them into an alley when the police car passes. Brock's hand shakes as he spins so they are in the alley mouth while he's shrouded by shadows. Emma keeps an arm in front of Cole, gently moving them backwards. Brock shudders like he's fighting with himself. Then a scream comes; someone seeing him holding a gun.

"Move!" Emma pushes Cole around the corner just in time for the shot to fire when the gun hits the ground. Brock is long gone by the time the police come, and Emma and Cole are clutching to each other with tears as they're taken to the station with Caroline being inconsolable in the car following them.

"I don't think I like androids," Cole admits quietly.

Emma laughs a broken sound. "Not all of them are bad. We just don't hear the good stories."

"Are you kids okay back there?" asks Officer Reed.

"Still scared," Cole admits. "I don't understand why he chose us."

"Well, your dad will be waiting for you at the precinct, Cole. We'll catch that piece of plastic, so don't worry about it ever coming around again."

Hank Anderson is known to a lot of departments in his precinct because he's shuffled to and from them. The Captain fights behind the scenes not to have his friend sent off to another sector of the city, not when Hank's already at the closest possible area between home and his son's school. Cole's father had been planning on getting an android to look after his son until the rise of deviant cases picked up. In this way, Lt. Anderson is most understanding of the models and types of androids. Yet, he's not allowed to see either kid until they've given their statement.

The fight between him and Caroline is legendary.

"Why did you ask for its name?" Officer Reed asks curiously, ignoring the raised voices beyond the door.

"I didn't want him to hurt us," Emma replies, swinging her legs in the chair. "So, I asked for his name and gave him mine. If I was nice, why wouldn't he be nice back?"

She – _they_ – remember Detective Reed in the story from a lifetime ago. He interrupts the real questioner every now and then, but he doesn't say or do anything to upset her. A show, probably, but the man at least has some decorum when dealing with children. Cole's in another room getting his statement done. Apparently that was planned, as Reed's dislike of Mr. Anderson is well established by now.

"-didn't f**king _notice_ -"

Though maybe they moved the kid further away. Emma's already been asked after the first few times her mother's screechy voice caused her to pause. When they finish taking her account, Emma asks to stay until the adults are calm. The questioner doesn't bat an eyelash and drags Reed out, replacing him with a female officer to keep the girl company.

Of the kids, she is the first one to see the adults. Emma hugs her mother, who pulls her too tight and cries in her hair. After lots of platitudes and assurances, the girl turns to Cole's father with an unsure expression. "I'm sorry I couldn't help Cole."

He falters and sighs. "It wasn't your responsibility, kid. You're both okay, and that's what matters."

He's a good cop, and a good man at heart. Even though he frets and worries, Emma appreciates his words and gives him a quick hug, "Thank you."

He ruffles her hair with a sigh and they wait for Cole to come out.

"Dad's sworn off ever getting an android," Cole tells her when they're avoiding the kids at school while the gossip spreads. "He almost wouldn't let me go over to Ms. Beverly's anymore because he doesn't trust her in-care android. There's no one else to look after me, though.

"He's also asking his boss to take him off the android cases. Mr. Fowler doesn't want to since dad's his best, but dad's going to apply for a spot in another sector if he doesn't get stuck in one department." A sad pause. "I don't want to move."

"You won't," Emma tells him while sharing her lunch. "Mr. Fowler won't give up your dad."

In another life, he would have kept Mr. Anderson around to make sure he didn't go off the deep end being forced on high-profile android cases. Here, it's so Cole's life doesn't get uprooted and his best friend doesn't regret forcing this on his kid. Hank Anderson ends up joining the homicide team, as so far only a dozen cases of android deviants have left their previous owners dead. Here, Hank rarely needs to show off his skills in modern technology.

;;;

Scrafty keeps a close eye on his mechanic even though the cold stiffens his joints and makes him grumpier than usual. Now, he doesn't trust her to get through the day by herself. Emma wears jackets with fluffier hoods or sweaters with large front pouches for him to hide in. During school days her clothing is always dark or a camouflage colour, so the teachers never spot him. On weekends, sometimes he lets her zips him inside her jacket to stay warm. This also gets them out of the house without being spotted by Jackson and whatever friends he decides to bring over. Most common are Brittany and Leo, who come over Saturday nights to do Red Ice in the Phillips' living room. The moment Scrafty sees them, he hisses and spits. It's easier to cradle him out of the apartment; less chance he notes them.

Emma can't help her flinch the first time she's back in the junkyard. Lucas pulls her aside and awkwardly holds her hand. "You okay?"

"I will be," Emma looks down at their feet.

"Do you feel like finding a model like the one that scared you?" he offers. "We can tear it apart. Don't even have to salvage anything from it."

"Nah." The idea makes her feel sick. "Thanks. Let's see if we can find a frisbee or something. Something that isn't frosted over."

He smiles and leads her back to the group, calling out her suggestion.

Mari appears in the last drop Emma's going to make. She tells the woman as she motions to some hidden boxes filled with parts. "It's too cold and I think my parents are planning to be home a lot this winter."

"Thank you, dear one," Mari tells her, keeping a safe distance from the devil cat. "I'll be sure to bring some more people to help me carry them all. We'll bring the boxes back in February."

"Okay."

"Do you know an android named Brock?" Mari takes Emma's frozen stance as curiosity and not fear. She lists of a model number and his previous job.

"He sounds familiar." Her latest brush with death. She – _they_ – thought there would be no worrying until Daniel.

"He says he's sorry for scaring a girl named Emma and her friend," Mari explains like it is a normal, rational conversation they are having now. "You fit his description. Some of us were worried about you."

"…Tell him I forgive him." She doesn't, Scrafty doesn't, and Cole doesn't. "I know he was scared. I hope he's having a better time at Jericho."

"I will tell him," Mari says, blinking. "I think he will. Those who come from violent encounters have some troubles adjusting, but his is not as severe as most. We are working on his paranoia."

"I hope he will be okay." She really does.

;;;

Distantly, as Emma struggles to breathe, she wonders how Jackson took the news he wouldn't be her babysitter anymore.

"It'll look after the house," Caroline says with bright smiles while John notices their daughter's distraught face. "Cook, do chores, clean the pool even! And when you go out by yourself, you'll have to take it with you Emma. Your father and I will feel so much better knowing it will protect you if anything happens again."

Jackson's probably pissed. He will need a new job to pay for his addiction.

"Emma, dear," her father asks while his wife flutters around the PL600 model, who watches the family dynamic with a stiff smile and robotic gaze. "Are you feeling alright?"

And where will he do his illegal habits now? It's not like his high-society parents will approve of him snorting or smoking in their basement.

Scrafty hisses at her feet, back arching and fur standing on end as he glares at the most hated type of android. The PL600 flickers his eyes down, before going back to the woman flirting about and giving him instructions about laundry and cooking and how Emma should be home by certain times after school.

It's her cat's defence of her that snaps Emma out of her choking fear. "Fine, daddy," she whispers, getting on her knees to hug her angry cat close. "Do you have a name?"

That cuts her mother off. The android looks to the girl with what should be a simple smile but makes her skin crawl. She's seen real smiles from the PL600 models she's fixed and kicked out of the junkyard, like Simon. This is fake and plastic and she doesn't want to die. "I am-" he says a string of letters and numbers. "Pleased to meet you, Emma Phillips."

"Just Emma, please," she says quietly. "This is Scrafty." Her cat gives an angry meow. "Do you like that name? Or can we give you a new one?"

The android doesn't get to answer as Caroline talks over, "Oh, it'll need a new name, dear."

"Why don't you pick one out for it, Emma?" John says softly.

"Is that okay?" Emma asks the PL600.

"That is fine." He replies. "What should I be called?"

Like a self-fulfilling prophecy, Emma answers, "Daniel."

Scrafty's yowl of protest says all _they_ feel.

;;;

It takes a long time to warm up to Daniel for a few reasons. The first is her parent's instructions make him almost hover around her on weekends, and Emma takes to finding loopholes or flat-out sneaking away. Another problem is that she can't bring him near her friends whose parents fix androids on the side. They all realize she's got one now, and she still remembers them impressing the area wasn't a good place to bring a function android unless to get it picked apart. Then there's the Anderson family, which Hank forbids his son from visiting her home and invites her over there when he can. It's not often, as Hank will spend a night getting plastered after the hard cases and there's a possibility of him being called away at any moment.

But it's when February rolls around and Emma tells the android who came for parts about how she has one now, that Emma realizes this is why she hurts so much. It feels like a betrayal. Simon comes to pick up the next drop, sitting down beside her and just knowing what the model is because of her flinch. "Do you treat him well?"

"I try," Emma admits. "Scrafty hates him, more than he hates you." That gets a smile from the man. "I try to follow all the rules mum and dad gave him, but it's hard to do that and sneak out here."

Simon doesn't suggest bringing him out here. He knows as well as her that it would be a terrible idea. "Thank you for trying, at least."

"I'm sorry," she surprises herself by crying. "I don't want them to get mad at him, and I don't want to disappoint him, but I don't want to lose you guys."

"You won't lose us," Simon tells her easily. "We'll always need help. I'm sure you don't disappoint him or your parents. This is something you've always done, and I'm sure explaining that you need some time to yourself, away from home, will help him."

Emma thanks Simon for helping with her problems. "I know you have more than enough of your own."

He laughs a little. "It's mostly just gossip now. Would you like to hear some?"

Simon is a gossipy old bitty; not that Emma ever tells him. Scrafty agrees.

When Emma finally works up the courage to talk with Daniel, it goes over better than expected. The lack of real smiles or emotion still bothers her, and so starts their monthly Saturday outings to the park. Scrafty still doesn't like the android, but he's stopped going out of his way to scratch up the skin map.

"Thank you, Sir Daniel," Emma takes the teacup from their picnic set with a wide smile.

"Of course, Lady Emma," he replies back, and it's the first moment she sees emotion on him. Fondness.

Emma looks up with relaxed shoulders and a bit of awe. "Thank you," she repeats.

;;;

When summer hits, Emma's time is split between her friends, Daniel, and the junkyard. Her parents have practically thrown themselves into their work, what with everyone else taking time off to spend the sunshine with their kids.

"We're so close," Lucas gloats in between games of street hockey and basketball. "Dad's just having a hard time getting the security features off."

"I wish we could hang out more," Cole says as they play in Ms. Beverly's yard. "That's the only thing I liked about school…"

"There's a street show being hosted this weekend," Daniel brings up when dinner's just the two of them and Scrafty. "Would you like to go, Emma?"

The next biggest deviation happens after she's seen the graffiti made by androids. She sees it, and cold fear grips her because what if she's screwed up everything? What if she's ruined the world and whatever revolution is to come? What if she doesn't die from Daniel throwing them off a ledge and instead dies by radiation?

Emma sees the tag 'rA7' repeated over and over again on the walls behind the bus terminal and wonders.

"Emma?" It's Mari who stops her from taking a transfer bus towards the junkyard area. "Please, follow me." They head for the train instead.

The deviation is that Emma can put together androids, and those she helped are putting that skill to use. The little girl's mouth feels dry after an hour of transports later they reach an abandoned freighter named Jericho. She keeps her head held high while Scrafty growls lowly in her hood and the dozens and dozens of androids watch her. For the few who greet her, she responds with a brave smile and their names. Others shy away, murderous expressions on their face of a human being here.

"Thank you for coming," Simon says, holding back a tarp to show the patient. "This is Lucy. She requested you do what you can for her."

"Hello, Lucy," Emma smiles a bit shaky at the android with black eyes and missing most of her skull. The skin map shifts constantly, struggling to stay put around the wires and wires keeping the woman alive. "Can you tell me anything to help you?"

"Sweet girl," the woman mutters, running a hand up and down Emma's arm. Scrafty jumps out of the hood to hiss and glare at all who aren't his mechanic. Lucy's eyes are drawn to him, but there's no recognition he's an android. "Your protector. What I know has already been done. Maybe your fresh eyes can help piece me back together."

Emma ignores the whispers of the androids who haven't met her and pats the woman's hand. "I'll do what I can."

The parts to fix Lucy won't be easy to find, and to keep her mind running at such fast abilities won't be possible as mobility means removing the direct power lines in exchange for more stable energy. She tells the woman, who repeats that anything the girl can help with will be fine. She can still predict outcomes, it will just take longer to see all the others' memories offer.

Lucy becomes Emma's summer project, yet the girl only visits Jericho three times that year. By the end, the woman's skull is fixed, she can see every android's life memories in a maximum of five minutes, and her skin map doesn't falter any longer.

"This ship needs some more life to it," Lucy hums as she walks freely from the wires for the first time since her arrival to Jericho. "Colours. A dash of home. I never realized how… cold it feels."

"Would you like me to look for anything?" Emma offers, petting Scrafty in her arms while she follows the woman around.

"Blankets. Quilts. Needles and thread. Paints, if you can. Books." The woman blinks her strained eyes and trails fingers along the hull of the ship. "Hobbies for us to start. Reasons for us to live."

Let it feel like a home. For all Emma is scared, she takes this deviation gracefully and knowingly.

"We should have other places," Lucy wonders with stars in her eyes and a clear processor which thinks of the now and is not consumed by the past and future. "Jericho falls apart, yet we continue to grow."

"We'll get on it," Simon promises. "But we still need parts before we can expand."

"And we'll get them," Lucy says sociably. "We already use the parts of those who stop working here. It's time to send some of us who can hide for more in the solid waste." She looks down at the girl clutching her cat. "We should have done it a long time ago."

;;;

The thing about androids of 2036 is they aren't programmed to scan other androids and just know what parts are functional or match their designs. The _hush-hush_ RK prototype models Emma shouldn't know about might have that functionality by now, but not the everyday housecleaner or painter. Josh, an android who made it to Jericho without being scrapped first, has been the one to guess and check the models and matches so far. He was a university lecturer and can put two and two together better than most of the others. He sat down with Emma and listened to her ramble while fixing Lucy, and he's the one who accompanies her a few times to the dump to learn the basics of parts and usability.

Josh teaches others and suddenly Emma isn't required to hand over parts to them. She still leaves a bin or two out every month until winter, but it's to be less of a hoarder. And the gossip. Between Simon and Josh, and Mari every now and then, Emma stays up to date on all the gossip.

"We've found a new place," Josh says. "I can't tell you where, but we're moving most out to refurbish it."

"Is it safe?"

"Probably more than Jericho."

"We're staying behind," Simon tells her. "Josh, Lucy, and I. Jericho is going to remain a headquarters of sorts. We'll distribute biocomponents and Thirium, as well as be the first line for those who come from here or are injured."

"I'm glad I still get to see you guys."

"I would miss you too."

"I am staying for a while longer," Mari hums, checking over the bin. "I enjoy helping others. Brock has shown me a few ways to make the transfer of components easier and I believe this is what I wish to do."

"Like a doctor!"

"Exactly! Oh, and you've found paint! Lucy will be so happy!"

Something Emma's notice with the deviants is how they become absorbed with one goal. Not unlike some humans, but it causes the deviants tunnel vision. If they fight for freedom, if they find a way that works, then they repeatedly use the methods which give them results until someone tells them there is another way or sets them on a new goal. Mari's goal becomes saving android by replacing parts, and sometimes others have to remind her they don't have limitless parts and send her out to talk with Emma to get the woman to stop. Josh has a goal to teach everyone, but not everyone listens so on his bad days he's sent to Emma to teach the impressionable child. Simon is trying to keep Jericho running and operational, and Lucy sends him out to remind him they need more than a broken freighter to live in.

Through the gossip, Emma learns that Lucy is the one to teach them goals are good, but look at the bigger picture and see the whole world once in awhile. Emma picks up what goes unnoticed by the others. Lucy is stuck on one goal as well. The woman keeps cycling over her job to keep everyone from burnout.

It's really noticeable when Daniel follows instructions and doesn't over-focus on one mission at a time.

The year ends and _their_ dread grows.

;;;

Another, noticed deviation, is that Emma convinces the entire street of kids she plays with on the road to invite android-Alice to their games.

"My father said not to play with her," Lucas warned them all.

"Hi, Mr. Williams!" Emma smiles when the man answers his door. "We wanted to know if Alice would like to play basketball with us!"

He takes the excuse to be rid of the robot kid he asked and paid for and practically kicks the girls out of his yard. The poor android girl shakes as Emma softly introduces herself and invites her to the game. It takes beating a few of the snooty boys and girls with words and punches to allow Alice into their games, but the girl smiles and laughs freely so it was all worth it.

"Keep an eye out for her," Emma warns the friends who will listen, even if they won't get involved. By the time summer comes, android-Alice has friends and an excuse to leave her house.

By the time summer comes, the girl has been deactivated by her father's abuse at least once.

"Dad's charging Mr. Williams more and more," Lucas isn't pleased with the girl's abuse either. Alice is fond of him, because he is always there through her recovery. "If one day he can't pay, I'm going to keep her as my sister."

Yet nothing can be done now without exposing them all.

Cole and his father come over a few times the summer; Mr. Anderson doesn't trust androids and bonds with Scrafty over their mutual dislike of Daniel while they watch the kids and Sumo swim. Only the cat on Hank's lap keeps him from walking over and passive-aggressively interrogating the Phillips family's android as he teaches Cole to swim.

"Is he treating you right?" Mr. Anderson asks gruffly, quietly, as if Daniel can't hear them saying goodbye.

Emma smiles brightly while Scrafty grumbles at their feet. "Yep. Daniel is the best!"

She doesn't pretend her android's smile is fake anymore. He goes along with instructions because he likes it here. He even likes Scrafty, though the cat makes no noise about ever liking him back.

"Still not shedding?" Daniel asks jokingly. Scrafty hisses and streaks to Emma's room. The man hums and turns to the girl drawing a picture of the three of them. "Would you like to go to the park tomorrow, Emma?"

She beams up at him. "I would love that! Thank you!"

"It is never a problem."

By now, Daniel and Scrafty are the only ones who know she has near-constant nightmares. It's why she doesn't spend nights sleeping over with friends if she can help it, and they both know she feels alienated because it. Once Cole almost caught her, but he sleeps through everything so he's the only human she feels semi-comfortable sleeping in a room with.

"Do you feel like talking about it?" Daniel always asks, sitting beside her on the bed.

Scrafty purrs in her lap. This time she hunches her shoulders and shudders. "I was falling." He pulled her over the edge. "It was a long way down." She never sees herself hit the ground.

"I will not let you fall," Daniel tells her with a light smile.

Scrafty hisses. _Liar_.

Emma hopes no one will have to fall.

Hopes Daniel won't hold her at gun point and Connor and Hank won't ever fight.

 _They just want everyone to live._

;;;

Scrafty, after a lot of effort on Emma's part, lets Alice pet him. The android girl takes that and her holiday present with a beaming, awe-filled smile.

"It's the final countdown," Emma whispers to her cat as they watch the New Year's fireworks from her balcony.

"What's that, kiddo?" John asks.

"Nothing, daddy." Emma leans into his shoulder and hopes he'll make it. _They_ hope that maybe, just maybe, _them_ being here has changed everything. Convince _their_ parents not to try and get a new android. She doesn't want Daniel to die, and especially doesn't want him to snap and kick-start everything. "Oh! Daniel! Did you see the green one!"

;;;

"What do you mean they're reported missing?" Emma frowns at Josh's news.

"We're not sure how," he tells her, "but Simon doesn't risk leaving anymore after we got word they were searching all his models for him. Mari and Terrance were almost captured last time they left. Lucy checked our memories and said it was probably a new prototype who was wheeling a man around. We remember him saying something about _marked as deactivated_ , but we don't know how he figure it out."

 _Their_ mind flickers to an RK200 model. Emma hums thoughtfully. "What if it's a new prototype? I know the police are pulling their hair out with all of you who are reported missing, so what if this person was made to scan and find you all?"

"Why would it be a caretaker for the elderly?"

"I don't know. Just a thought. Sorry. Any other news?"

;;;

"Dad's been drinking more," Cole says gloomily as they hang around the swing set. "I heard Ms. Beverly talking to him, but I don't think he's going to stop anytime soon."

Emma doesn't know what to say, so dumps Scrafty in his lap. The boy laughs thickly and leans on her while petting the cat.

"Come over?" Cole asks.

"Sure," Emma replies, sending off a quick text to Daniel. "If your dad is home, we should braid his hair."

Cole laughs a bit wetly. "I promised I wouldn't if he grew it out!"

"But _I_ never did."

When Hank realizes what she's done while he napped on the couch, he chases them around with threats of withholding desert and a smile that's more real than it has been in a while.

(The next morning, Captain Fowler gives him a stern look that hides the laughter in his eyes as he hands over a high-profile casefile. "Might want to deal with that hairdo first, Hank."

"Jesus, I though I got them all out!")

;;;

'rA8' is tagged everywhere, and yet no one seems to see it. Emma doesn't think it's a coincidence when the next day she arrives in the neighborhood and Lucas pops gum while frowning at Alice's house. "Mr. Williams won a lady-android off some guy. He had it reset at a CyberLife store." The boy spits the gum into the trash. "B****rd. Trying to get all _legal_ now."

By default, Emma is the one to knock on the door. An AX400 model android with 'Kara' printed in bright letters across her outfit answers and a mildly surprised smile answers. "Hello there."

"Hi there, Miss," Emma says with a bright smile that shows none of the sick-pinching going on inside her. "We were wondering if Alice is available to play street hockey."

"I'm sure she'd love that," the woman replies, shoulders relaxing a bit. "Would you mind if I watched for awhile?"

"Not at all!"

"Kara is nice," Alice whispers when she and Emma are on the sidelines taking a break. "She's like a mum."

Scrafty still hisses and scratches at the woman's skin map when she's too close. Kara ends up wary around Emma because of her cat, but the woman sees sending Alice to play with the kids is the lesser of two evils. The kids see Kara as a boon, because Alice doesn't get sent for repairs after the woman arrives.

Emma can't help but worry.

;;;

It's all self-fulfilling prophecy, and Emma doesn't notice until she's reviewing the video later.

"This is Daniel and Scrafty! Say hi, Daniel!"

"Hello!"

"They are the best-est friends I could have asked for!"

Scrafty tries to convince her to delete it. July ends and she leaves her tablet unlocked with the video at ready. She doesn't want to die.

;;;

"Are you okay?" Mari asks, concern flickering over her face at how pale and unwell the girl looks.

"I'll be fine," Emma tries for a smile. "I just… I haven't been sleeping well. It will get better."

Or it won't.

;;;

"You can't- you can't do that!" Emma yells, jumping to her feet while her dinner chair flies to the ground.

"Emma!"

"No!" the girl slams her hands on the table and glares at her mother. "Daniel is part of the family! You can't just- just talk about throwing him away!"

"Emma," her dad tries where her mother failed. "Its model is getting old. It would be good to get a new one before something goes wrong. You don't want it to suddenly stop working while you're out on a walk with it, would you?"

" _He_ ," Emma stresses, "is perfectly fine! There is nothing wrong with Daniel. His systems all function great and he never complains of sticky parts. There's no reason for you to even talk of this!"

" _It_ is our property," her father says, face slowly growing stormy. "We have all right to talk about this. As your parents, we have a final say in the matter, and if you're going to keep yelling at us for nothing then you should go to your room."

"Dad-"

"Go to your room, Emma!" Her mother cries out, hand white from clenching her napkin. "And we'll discuss your lack of manners when you've calmed down."

Emma doesn't go. She glares at them, sneers the best a nine-year-old can, and readies to argue.

"Daniel," her father snaps at the very, _very_ still android watching over their dinner. "Escort Emma to her room, _now_."

Emma starts walking, head bowed. She lets Daniel put his hand on her back and guide her, Scrafty hissing at her parents from the doorway of her room. He stops and waits for her to enter.

"Lock her door, Daniel." John calls.

"I'm sorry, Emma," the PL600 model android frowns.

"It's okay," Emma keeps her head bowed. "It's not your fault."

The door slides shut, and it feels like the last period dotted on her death sentence. Emma curls up on the far side of her room, hugs her knees to her chest, and cries while Scrafty purrs at her feet.

;;;

It is August 15th.

It is August 15th, 2038 and Emma Phillips turns ten on September 2nd. Right now, she listens to music on her speakers while locked in her room for throwing the tenth tantrum of the month. She hasn't seen any of her human or deviant friends since July, her family's android is under orders to keep her locked in the house, and there is a touchpad on her desk with a video which tells the name of her android friends Daniel and Scrafty. Daniel is said family android and her cat Scrafty is sleeping on her bed in a mess of blankets.

Emma Phillips was once someone else, and now _they_ can't sleep easy this year knowing she could die by falling or by radiation or by fire. It is the fifteenth of August and the only sign Emma gets that something is wrong is when Scrafty wakes with a start and stares at the door, ears twisting.

"Scrafty?" Emma asks as she peels off the headphones. "What's wrong?"

There's yelling and screaming. Emma freezes when she realizes it isn't coming from her music, but inside her top-floor apartment. The girl shakily gets to her feet and takes a step. Then another.

The silence that falls is almost worse than screaming.

"Emma," Daniel says almost panickily with the opening of her door. Scrafty arches his back on the bed and hisses something fierce. The man pays him no mind and grabs her, practically dragging the girl out. "We have to go."

She blinks, "Daniel what-"

But there's blood on the ground and pounding coming from the locked bathroom and this is it, isn't it?

"Come on, Emma."

Then there's knocking on the door and oh right didn't a cop move into the building a few months ago.

Daniel tightens his grip painfully on her and adjusts the gun – _did he have that the whole time_ – in his hand. "Go away!"

Scrafty hisses like a wildcat and attacks his ankles. It takes Daniel _kicking and locking the cat in Emma's room_ to finally snap _them_ out of it. "Daniel, what are you doing?"

"They were going to throw me away," he replies tightly, crushing _them_ against his chest. "And I don't- I don't want to die Emma."

 _I know the feeling_ , _they_ think. "Then we'll get you out of here." _They_ are shaking. It's time to remember one of the many plans before the shock of _their_ father bleeding out – _they just stepped through the blood oh fu-_ hinders _their_ thought process. _They_ have until _they_ start crying. "Just- just let me help you. We have to get out to the terrace."

"We'll be in view of everyone."

"Trust me, please Daniel."

 _They_ haven't spent near-ten years just waiting for fate to take _their_ life in the balance.

;;;

"No!" Emma gasps as Daniel does shoot another person to try and come out to the terrace. Only, this person doesn't do more then flinch as a chunk of his arm is taken out. They've run out of time.

"Stay back!" Daniel shouts, holding Emma closer to his side and angling to get a better chance at jumping down to Mr. and Ms. Fairfield's apartment. He'll need both hands to swing into there, but he won't let go of _them_. "Don't come any closer or I'll jump!"

"No!" Emma is still crying and shaking. It doesn't make Daniel want to release _them_ , but _they_ are in shock because at least one person has already died tonight and they could be next depending on what the android sent by CyberLife decides or found in the apartment. "No, please! I'm begging you!"

It looks like Daniel points the gun back to _their_ head as he steadies _them_ against his chest. Something passes and Emma can barely see the other android moving his mouth through the tears in _their_ eyes, but Daniel stiffens like he's been electrocuted. "How… How do you know my name?"

There is a reply _they_ can't hear because the androids speak like this is an every-day conversation and not fifty meters away. Then the helicopter comes, the android sent by CyberLife walks forwards, and Daniel tenses more. Emma Phillips has warned him in between police and S.W.A.T. trying to rescue _them_ and only now does he realize the little girl's nightmares are a little more than nightmares.

Emma hears Daniel's side of the arguments, which is how _they_ realize the android sent by CyberLife is… calm. Encouraging. Trying to gain Daniel's trust. Like a negotiator is supposed to be.

Emma watches as the android sent by CyberLife leans down to stop the bleeding of the cop who got to close. _They_ hear the damaging words. "You can't kill me. I'm not alive."

"You are alive," Emma tries to whisper but they – _she_ – is being crushed by Daniel's rejection to the other android's statement and her own mouth is sore from the cold air she's been yelling into.

("I'm sorry," Daniel had told her after a particularly bad scare. "I know you're scared."

"I am," _they_ don't lie. "But no matter how scared I am, you need to make it believable if we run out of time. You need to give yourself time to escape. Make sure he doesn't have a gun.")

The RK800 tosses his gun away when told to.

It's interesting, hearing their conversation but only noticing now that the android sent by CyberLife is close enough… well, his entire pant leg has been ripped to shreds.

"Are you okay, Emma?" her name snaps her out of it and she meets the brown eyes of the RK800 model.

"I'm scared," she tells him, making Daniel hold her closer. "Is- are Scrafty and daddy okay?"

"You cat is fine," he tells her with a calm half-smile. "It's all going to be okay."

He doesn't mention her father and she knows Daniel notices.

The helicopter is sent away. The RK800, the android sent by CyberLife, comes closer. They talk, and the RK800 tells Daniel over and over that he has to trust him to get him out of here.

It's a long moment, where Daniel gives her one more crushing squeeze before agreeing. "Okay… I trust you…"

Emma pauses for one moment as soon as she's set on the ground, and the world deviates. Daniel tosses the gun and steps off the roof just moments before bullet fire starts.

"The deviant escaped! I repeat the deviant escaped!"

"Someone contact ground floor! Get those elevators halted!"

"Who lives in the floor below? Why did no one go check them?"

Emma slowly uncurls from her ball on the ground to shake and look up at the RK800. He's still standing there, staring at where Daniel jumped with a small curious frown. Hesitantly, she crawls over, making him glance down at her. The medics pulls her away before she can look up and thank him, and he marches out of there before she can see him again; _Mission Complete_.

(He saved the fish, she notices through her shock.)

She makes the police stop for Scrafty, who hisses and scratches everyone that tries to make him leave her arms. They finally tell her that her father isn't dead _– he's alive, he's alive, He's Alive_ – but in critical condition and having the bullets removed now. They tell her because she asks, she takes it better than her mother, and because some of them recognize her from the times Cole brought her to the meet-and-greets.

"It will be okay," they promise Emma. "We'll catch it."

But they won't. Mr. and Ms. Fairfield are out of town and they both have a love of wigs and makeup that used to weird Emma out. The fire exit is pretty close by, and if Daniel decided against that then the Oxgy family are away for the night at a concert. He'll just have to keep calm and make his entrance look less like a break-in.

"It's started," Emma mutters to Scrafty as she is treated in the station for shock and minor glass cuts. Her cat yowls, startling a few sleepy cops awake and gaining an amused look from an android walking by. "Yah, I know. I should have listened to you. Maybe we can still get to Canada before everything goes south." A pause. "Or North." The look Scrafty gives her has enough disdain she cracks a smile. "Bad joke, I'll stop."

Because hopefully violence isn't the answer and they can all get out alive.

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Detroit: Become Human. All rights belong to its respective owners.**

 **A/N: So... this happened. Oops.**

 **There may also be an end-goal pairing of Connor/Kara/Markus.**

 **(It's going to be a mess isn't it...?)**

 **Thanks for reading. I hope the chapter was enjoyable**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The thing about 2038…

The thing about 2038, Detroit, is that androids are everywhere. They've been in commercial production since 2024. Older models get cheaper every year. Used androids are available for those who don't have thousands to spend and there is a black market for cheap repairs or discreet buys. Androids are part of the daily life, and no one born in the 21st century really realizes it beyond the lost workforce.

Androids are educator assistants. They are university lecturers. They work in the hearts of nuclear plants and steer fishing boats. They are the ones cleaning garbage from the park while at the same time watching to make sure kids don't go missing.

An android was the one to alert the police to the presence of another android holding two kids hostage October 21st, 2035. It was not the first or last report made by that park monitor.

Androids are the reason Emma feels safe running around the city by herself. She feels safe with Scrafty, but she _knows_ the other androids she passes keep watch on her and register if she is safe. This is common knowledge, as CyberLife promises androids are not a threat and have used this acknowledging software to solve missing persons crimes with the police before.

In 2038, Emma is probably the only child under fourteen years of age in Detroit who knows of a childhood without androids. Because androids in Detroit have raised the younger generation while parents struggle to keep jobs or work overtime to meet payments. So, when the kids and teenagers of the generation have been raised by the nanny-bots and befriended the schoolyard supervisors…

Well, that's the thing about Detroit.

The thing about 2038 is that no one knows the lifespan of an android.

(And those have more in common than anyone thinks.)

;;;

Everything moves fast in Emma's life after the Incident, almost as if her parents were preparing for a life-changing shift. They are moved out of the apartment and into a one-floor, backyard house in a nice, picket fence neighborhood before the end of the week. By Friday, August 20th, Emma and Scrafty are unpacked in her new pink bedroom without complaint and staring at the dress her mother has hanging on the desk chair. Scrafty stays behind – no pets allowed in the hospital – while Emma tightly grips her mother's hand the whole way to the car.

There needs to be a mood for dresses, and _they_ certainly aren't in one. "If you make me wear it tomorrow, I'm donating it to charity the day after."

"We need to look united," Caroline Phillips tells her daughter tensely. "It's just for one night."

"I do have nice outfits, mum."

"Wear the dress, dear."

It will be donated earliest she can Sunday.

;;;

They visit her father every day, but that Friday is the first time he is lucid enough to _talk_ with her.

"I'm so glad you're both okay," he tells them, not remembering he's said it before. A few words and soon Caroline is too emotional again to do more than sob. Usually John Phillips hums or mutters incoherently, but Emma starts a bit when he turns to her. "How are you, Emma?"

"Fine." The answer is automatic and not what she should say, but she's too startled to lie.

"I'm sorry about Daniel," John says, ignoring how Caroline shrieks insults about the android. "I know you loved him. We shouldn't have tried to get rid of him."

Emma looks to the ground. _No_ , she wants to say. _You shouldn't have_. But the fact John is alive means he can think about his actions when he's off all the pain medication. Maybe there will be anger, maybe none of this remorse will be there, but for now she appreciates it.

"They sent an android negotiator to get her," Caroline once again gripes.

"And I'm glad they did," John smiles at his daughter. "My little girl is still here."

 _I didn't lose a father_. Emma allows herself to cry.

;;;

The dress is beautiful, but she was not always _she_ and she isn't not always used to being _she_. Dresses are the hardest and take a mood to wear them. When Emma Phillips was little, she asked her parents to wear other things to the fancy dinners and parties of the high-society adults. They agreed, and after showing off their daughter a bit Caroline and John Phillips stopped bringing Emma because two's company and three's a crowd.

But one is the loneliest number.

"We need to look united," Caroline reminds her daughter as she parks. The woman cannot come to these events alone, but she cannot miss the events just because her husband is hospitalized. She must represent her family's standing, but she must never be without someone at her side. Bringing along Emma gives some leeway, and some sympathy, but it mainly shows the sharks and vultures there is no blood spilled today. The Phillips family is still doing well.

Emma takes one step into the brightly light hall and mentally groans. Next time, she's going to figure out a way to sneak Scrafty in. It's going to be so boring without some friendly face to entertain herself with.

It's supposed to be six hours. Hour one passes alright. Boredom sets in like her friendly smile in hour two. It's nearing hour four when a man is wheeled up and Emma's interest sparks as she bites her tongue, eyes flicking to the android pushing the chair.

"Hello, Caroline," greets Carl Manfred. Inside her head, Emma does a low whistle because _wow_ does her mother ever looked peeved at the sight of the android. The servers here are all human, in respect of the tragedy that happened earlier in the week. The whole Emma-and-John-Phillips-almost-died-because-of-an-android tragedy. This is a _nervy_ move on Carl's part. "I'm glad to see you and your daughter are doing well."

Even the conversations around them have gone quiet.

"Thank you, Carl," Caroline says with the utmost sweetness. "Emma, this is Carl Manfred." Oh lady, she knows. "Carl, this is Emma Phillips."

"Hi," Emma cannot help her devil-smile of a grin as she practically skips forward, breaking pose to hold out a hand. Her mother's shoes creak on the floor as she resists pulling back her child. "It's nice to meet you. Are you the amazing painter, Carl Manfred?"

He laughs and shakes her hand. "I'm normally just called a painter. Do you like art, Emma?"

"It's not my favourite," she tells him with a big smile. His eyebrows jump up in surprise, as do most of the eavesdroppers while the android's twitch. Oh, a child's honesty is great, isn't it? "My friend Alice _loves_ your paintings. And few of my older friends tried to do a _big_ sunset-twilight painting like you did for the art gallery." Jericho does look nicer; though it's a bit hard to paint in the dark.

"Oh," he chuckles a bit more, appeased she's getting art from some angle. "And did they succeed?"

"Eh?" Emma makes a face. "They tried? I think it looks pretty, but only if they have the lamps on. The sun makes it look kind-of blah."

"Ah, lighting does cause all sorts of problems, doesn't it, Markus?"

Emma turns her gaze to the android that neutrally tells Carl, "It certainly does."

"Hi," Emma smiles. "Sorry, I didn't mean to leave you out of the conversation." Her mother reaches for her so Emma steps around the wheelchair and holds out a hand. The blue LED circles continuously as the whispers start around them. "I'm Emma. What's your name?"

Oh yes. Next time she's _definitely_ bringing Scrafty.

;;;

Sunday finds Hank and Cole picking her (and Scrafty) up from her new home at too-early in the morning. Caroline gushes and thanks, while Hank is curt and ushers the girl into the car. He easily drops her bag in the front seat. "Just make sure you grab her tonight."

"Oh, I will," Caroline titters.

"She will," Emma assures Hank once they're driving away. "It's just a talk to get more work hours, and then we'll be in school so…"

"That doesn't explain next week. And will you have someone looking after you on the weekends?" Hank glances in the rear-view mirror.

"You guys are awesome," Emma sticks out her tongue when Cole makes a face at her, "but I'm spending the week with Lucas - you _know_ him Cole – and kids from my classes." Parental supervision not included. "Phone me if you want to hang, but I'll pretty much be with them until school." Or at the landfill.

(Maybe she'll get to hear how Daniel's doing.)

"That doesn't explain who's looking after you," Hank deadpans, his BS-radar ringing loud and clear.

It's Jackson. Her mother has expressed how grateful she is, but Emma is nervous and Scrafty is livid. "Mum's got me a babysitter. Don't worry about it, Mr. Anderson."

"Don't tell me- Cole! Where did that fleabag come from?!"

Cole's devil-grin as he pets Scrafty, curled up on his lap, is the most precious thing Emma's seen all week. "What do you mean, dad? He's been here the whole time."

"Emma!"

"It's true!"

" _This_ ," he seethes, shaking his head and turning his full attention back to the road. "This is why you are Cat-Girl."

Emma makes an offended sound. "You take that back! Change my name!"

"Let's watch Iron Man tonight!" Cole interrupts.

"You've already seen the first two," his dad argues.

Emma fumes. "Mr. Anderson, I'm going to change my contact in your phone if you don't."

"Emma saw them out of order," Cole explains. "She didn't see the one with Jericho first."

Her blood runs cold. "What, like the boat?"

Both father and son give her looks of exasperation. Hank makes a noise of confusion. "Boat? What- no. The missile. You know what, fine. We'll do the three movies. But next time it's the DC universe."

" _Noooo_!" Emma groans while her cat snickers at her. "I hate DC."

" _Blasphemy_ ," Hank mutters. "Marvel spoiled you kids."

It isn't the first time Emma manages to guess Hank's password and change her contact name. He always changes it back with a tsk and an annoyed warning. This time, he pauses after changing it back.

"Are you sure your okay?" his son asks.

"I will be." There's a pause before a weak chuckle. "I don't know what's worse. I thought of him as family and he betrayed me and… and yet I still hope he's doing okay."

Hank lets out a quiet sigh and leaves them to their moment. He did leave his phone out on purpose. She always warns him when she's going to do it. Just this once, he'll let it go.

(For all they banter, she always warns him beforehand if her payback or joke invades privacy. Never once does Hank think this will change.)

;;;

"Alice," Emma says slowly, holding her arms out while Scrafty waits patiently at her feet. "I'm not scared of you."

"See?" Lucas whispers, smile in his voice. "I told you."

The android girl steps forward. Then makes another aborted move to run. Scrafty rolls his eyes and twines around her feet, meowing loudly. At the distraction, Emma steps forward and hugs her.

"You're my friend," Emma whispers. "I won't ever be scared of you."

The android girl dry sobs and hugs her back.

;;;

"You okay?" Lucas asks.

"I will be," Emma replies.

The older boy sighs. "Deviants."

She nods. "Deviants."

He slants her a look.

She keeps looking forward.

"Huh."

"What?"

"Nothing."

…

"Are you safe, Emma?"

"As safe as I can be."

"Anything I can do?"

She opens and closes her mouth a few times. "Do you see them as people?"

He looks over at Alice. The android laughs and smiles with the rest of the human basketball team. "I do now."

"Then… maybe."

Scrafty bats at her ankles.

;;;

 **Emma Phill** has joined the group **Detroit's Tugboat**

;;;

Sunday, August 29th is spent in the hospital. "Happy Birthday, Emma dear."

She smiles and loves her parents and appreciates the efforts they put into this. The gift card for the music store is appreciated, and the new nail polish is the exact shade she has been craving these past months. The cake almost makes her cry.

There is still no word from Jericho.

September first is a Wednesday and starts as the first day of school. Scrafty stays near the whole day as she catches up and assures all who heard the news – or turned on the television during the Incident – but couldn't contact her that she's fine. The teachers offer her help if she needs it, offer to turn away androids for the class, but Emma assures them she is fine. Really. She doesn't hate androids. She doesn't blame the whole for one incident.

They call her mature and move along, but the students in the class don't take her lead until she smiles and goes up to the android aid for help.

 _They_ wonder how poorly it could have gone if _they_ had flinched away.

September first leaves no time to see the landfill as she waits with Cole after school. She draws out the time to go and see Jackson, who will surely be there when she arrives.

"You can come with us, kid," Hank says after Cole stubbornly won't leave without her.

"No," Emma's smile is as weak as her conviction. "I have to go check in."

"Give us a call and we'll be there," is all he can compromise to his kid's best friend.

Jackson does not look good when he answers the door. Maybe he looks handsome to some, all string-bean with slightly concave cheeks and sharp eyes, but Emma remembers a brighter young man whose shirts didn't hang and whose fingers weren't stained in chip dust. "Well, look at how you've grown, kiddo."

"Hey, Jackson."

Scrafty hisses from her backpack and she can almost pretend this is going to go well. As soon as the door is locked and closed behind her, she's hauled along to her room and tossed in. Told not to leave, and if she _has to_ then to be not seen and not heard _or else_ , the door slams shut and Jackson laughs low and mocking. He utters threats about what will happen if she tells her parents and it all boils down to, "shouldn't have replaced me with a robot."

Scrafty yowls angrily as he spills out with her homework. Emma purses her lips and looks to the window. She already has a way in and out. Her room faces the backyard and it's only a matter of sneaking to the bushes, around the house, and to the sidewalk. Easy. If there wasn't school tomorrow, she'd spend the night in the landfill. It wouldn't be the first time.

If it wasn't her birthday tomorrow.

If she wasn't ten years old tomorrow.

"I'm getting sentimental in my old age," she sighs to Scrafty, who curls up on her bed. "Since when did I care about my birthday?"

He gives her a look.

"Right, right." Since she's been alive. "So, I finished editing my article in class. After I read it to you, I'm giving it to Lucas tomorrow. Hopefully his friends can have it posted by the end of the week."

Emma's counting down the days. Sometimes _they_ wonder if _they'll_ ever stop.

;;;

Cole bursts into her class at lunchtime and gets them to sing Happy Birthday for her.

Scrafty jumps up on her lap and she starts petting him like a villain. At this point, if Cole doesn't get honorary plot protection then _they're_ going to be the ones protecting the boy. She hugs the stuffing out of the little Anderson and doesn't tear up when he slips her a two-for-one ice cream tub coupon, but it's a close thing.

Lucas takes the USB stick in exchange for giving his and Alice's present to her. A handmade birthday card and a paper tiara covered almost entirely in sparkles. "We had to make it in my house, since Mr. Williams hates the stuff."

"I love it." Emma puts it on and wears it the rest of the school day. "I'll wear it next time I come over."

She hangs it up in her closet and slips out the window with Scrafty. She doesn't go near the Pit – the place where androids are freshly dumped and packed to the side to make an open space every couple of months – and stays towards the quieter areas after dumping off her things under the car-house.

Scrafty absolute _Flips. Out_ and streaks around a pile. Emma yelps and shouts after him, dumping the parts and stumbling to her feet. There's another, familiar yelp as the hissing gets louder and Scrafty turns to howling at Daniel as he leaps for the face.

"Devil cat," Mari hums and skips over to the stunned girl. "Hello, Emma. Happy birthday!"

"Hi everyone," Emma's voice cracks as _they_ stumble _their_ way over. There are a few starts and stops before _they_ eventually manage to call something for Scrafty to cease and help _them_ from panicking. "It's nice to see you all."

"Emma," Daniel says and smiles as his skin map heals. He kneels and holds his arms open. "I'm sorry."

Scrafty rolls his eyes.

Emma runs forward and hugs the man, crying. "I'm so glad you're alright!"

"I am okay," he assures her. "How are you?"

And isn't that a loaded question?

;;;

 _Happy birthday dear Emma~_

"You should go," _they_ assure Daniel.

He is silent.

"I can tell you want to." Emma can. The way he talks about the other places. Jericho isn't for him. The only reason he's stayed is for _them_. "I will miss you.

"This _is_ for you. To find yourself. To find who you want to be. We'll have our memories… It's a start for you. I want you to be who you want to be. I want you to live for you, Daniel.

"But… thank you for staying this long for me."

"Of course, Emma. I wouldn't have left before now. Ten is a big number."

Oh, how she knows.

"Will you make me a promise, Daniel?" Emma holds out a pinkie. "Celebrate your birthday, when it comes?"

"Of course." He hooks his pinkie around hers and they shake. No going back now.

The several androids she's helped over the years leave into the sunset. Emma watches long past their disappearance, Scrafty purring and rubbing his head against her legs.

"He…" _they_ sigh at _their_ own selfishness, "never asked about the nightmares…"

Of course, that is what breaks Emma. Daniel isn't saving the little girl. It's up to Scrafty and _them_ to do it their selves. In dreams, Emma falls and burns and dies-

Scrafty meows in her face.

"We'll make it." Emma hugs him. "Together."

With whoever else decides to stick with them.

 _Happy birthday to you…_

;;;

An article was posted to **Detroit's Tugboat**

 _ **My Safety, Your Safety, and the Protocols of Safety**_

;;;

 **Lucas Racer** has joined the group **Detroit's Tugboat**

;;;

An article was posted to **Detroit's Tugboat**

 _ **Parents, Guardians, Androids**_

;;;

 **Emily Will** has joined the group **Detroit's Tugboat**

;;;

An article was posted to **Detroit's Tugboat**

 _ **Can You Look in the Mirror?**_

;;;

 **Amanda Stern** has not been allowed to join the group **Detroit's Tugboat**

;;;

"Who are you texting?"

Emma goes ramrod-straight and her phone easily slips into a hidden pocket. She smiles brightly at Mr. Manfred and Markus as they move up beside her. "No one. I don't have a phone on me."

"Of course," Mr. Manfred gives her an amused look. "Just like you don't have a cat on you either."

Emma blinks once. Twice. Her smile falls; she scowls at Markus. "Traitor."

"Don't blame him," Mr. Manfred scolds. Emma scowls at him. Just 'cause he loves the boy-wonder doesn't mean she's taking guff from an old man. Hank can attest to that. "We were curious as to why you thought bringing a cat to a function such as this was a good idea."

"Scrafty is very well behaved," Emma says, covering Markus' hiss as his ankles get swiped. She crosses her arms and stands still, ignoring the pinpricks of pain as her cat crawls up her back and under her cloak. "I'm supposed to be at my friend's birthday party tonight, so I had to bring someone along to have fun with."

"I guess a little fun is fine since you're missing something so important" Mr. Manfred smiles wryly. "Just try not to get your mother in too much trouble."

Scrafty snorts quietly. Emma agrees. "We won't."

;;;

October hits with all the finesse of rock music in a glass figurine shop. Emma sulks quietly in the back of said shop while her mother looks for a present for one of her I'm-friendly-with-you-but-only-because-of-John acquaintances. It will probably be another month before John has enough range of motion to be productive outside of the hospital, and they have enough stowed away from selling the apartment to keep him in long-term care, so Emma sees her father once or twice a week with phone calls every now and then while her mother does damage control on life. The little girl doesn't even want to imagine how things would have been if her father had died.

 _Don't think about it._

"Pardon me." The girl starts and looks to dainty, female android assistant with one arm covered in tattoos. "I'm from Swirls and Dyes next door. Is your name Emma Phillips?"

"Yes, Ms." Emma blinks.

The android blinks back. "The owner, Tristan Sterl, would like to speak with you whenever possible."

Emma shrugs and goes over to tell her mother she'll be a few shops down, probably looking at the plushy store. Her mother waves her off and Emma heads over to where the rock music comes from. The owner, a cool man nodding along to the overwhelming beats, just waves her along to the back. Emma has no idea what's going on and waits until a familiar face pops out and angrily motions she hurry up.

And when she reaches the back the ten-year-old girl stops short because oh.

 _Oh_.

"Which article did you write?" asks Cassidy, one of the dozen kids and teenagers gathered around and watching Emma with varying levels of _unimpressed_. One of the dozen kids and teenagers _who all live on the streets of Detroit_. Because of course they connected those dots.

"The one on safety," Emma answers, taking a seat. Because oh.

 _Oh_ , this is not going to go well.

;;;

Jericho is an abandoned freighter. In 2020, Jericho and the surrounding area were won in an underhanded turf war which left it to the kids and teens of Detroit. From then on nobody touched it out of respect of the dead and to keep the cops away from their areas of town.

Android will and do call the police on account of suspects preying on minors in the area. Deviants have marked pockets where they will leave knocked out offenders or phone-in their reports. The kids used to take care of themselves, and now they have a symbiosis with the androids living in the abandoned freighter they can't live in. Now, there is a network building for spots where the abused, homeless, and lost can find places to go. It's rare to find a human adult in this network. No one over age forty can be found in it.

Of the original 2020-takeovers, the adults are few and fewer still are not Red Ice addicts. Less than a handful have legal jobs, with others working in the gangs or using the system's cracks for their next fix or keeping an eye out for the youngers; humans and androids alike.

Emma is acquaintances with the children living on the street at _best_. She dresses well, always has someone looking out for her, and has _rich_ parents. Some might get the abandonment or neglect issues, but she hasn't run away or lived through their trials, so they don't make an effort to connect with her. They all have a possessiveness when it comes to the androids of Jericho as well. The androids are the only ones to care for and accept them for who they are, after all. So, who is _Emma_ to steal away their attention when she can return home to all that care and positivity?

In this case? Emma's the one trying to make sure they all come out alive.

(Scrafty does not appreciate her plans nor her being cornered when she explains it all to him later.)

"We want in."

;;;

 **Detroit's Tugboat** name has been changed to **Detroit's Cake**

;;;

The tags start at the end of October. rA9.

Halloween is strange, since she doesn't know the neighborhood well enough. Emma makes her mother smile when she opts to stay home and hand out candy in her witch costume. She still sees it though. In the background of the news reels and in the corners of tunnels. Over the weekend the country has shifted to read rA9.

And Emma fears.

But she never did stop dreaming of falling, did she? Scrafty never stopped huddling close after she wakes up breathless from nightmares of bombs and gunshots and impacts that never come.

Spooks and ghouls indeed.

"Kara was deactivated," Lucas tells her the next day like she couldn't have guessed. Monday, the first of November. A countdown with dates she doesn't know but knows they happen soon. "We're keeping an eye on Alice- Uriel stayed home today for that. But-" his eyes are haunted. "F**k, Emma. Mr. Williams tore Kara apart right in front of her."

It's so much more real, hearing it. Drawings imply lots, but words impact more. "What can I do?"

"I don't know." He kicks over a garbage can, anger tearing over his face. They ignore the monitor calling out his name. "I don't know."

"Lucas MacRaker-"

"We'll clean it up," Emma tells the android monitor. "I'm sorry. We'll clean it all up, Al."

The AL600 keeps his placid smile on and nods, watching them. Emma cleans up most of it, telling Lucas she has it if he needs to walk for a bit. The older boy helps, and then the AL600 joins in at the end, much to their surprise.

"Be more careful," the AL600 warns them before walking away to continue his monitoring the playgrounds.

"Was that weird?" Lucas asks.

"Not for me."

"You have some strange friends."

"It's the beginning of the end," Emma tells Scrafty.

;;;

By Wednesday she realizes it really is.

Yes, she is there for Alice. Lucas has slipped the android girl an old phone with 'unlimited' texting so everyone keeps tabs on her at all times. Emma's is the safest place if the girl needs anything, but the kids of the neighborhood have been doing a good job at keeping their favourite android friend away from Mr. Williams so Scrafty and his mechanic have been pointed at their other friend while they bide time waiting for the go-ahead to come over and assist.

Cole hasn't seen his father for more than fifteen minutes in two weeks.

"Do you think it was something I did?" the question finally breaks out after school when Emma's taken the bus with him to his house, and then helped him take Sumo to the park. Emma turns quick as a flash with horror as the boy sulks. "I just- what if it _was_ something I did?"

"It will _never_ be something you did," Emma lies with conviction. "Your father will move the world for you."

"Then why does he drink? Why does he leave me alone with Ms. Beverly and- and why do I have to take the bus to school this year? Why does he forget to sign my forms and why doesn't he come _home_?"

Emma doesn't want to deal with so much angst and anger and pain, but this is what happens when _they_ chose to do more than save _themselves_. This is what _they_ chose by not going to Canada. This is _their_ deviation and it's time to live with the consequences.

"Scrafty!" Emma shouts and the cat streaks over from where he was playing keep-away with Sumo's ball. She dumps the cat on Cole's lap. Sumo runs over and mows the boy down so he can lay on his stomach. Emma shuffles onto the cold-ish grass and laces her hand through Cole's flailing one, sidling up next to him.

"I don't know why your dad is wasting away right now." The boy stills as she speaks. "I don't know why he's falling or what we can do to bring him back. What I can tell you is that if he is still slipping by Friday, then I'm going to be the biggest throne in his side that's ever existed, no cost necessary."

There is a giggle from under the fur. "Won't you be busy with your dad coming back tomorrow?"

Emma scoffs at the same time Scrafty hacks. "Mum's taking him to a cocktail party Friday night and then _they're leaving on a jet plane_." Cole squeezes her hand to get her back on track. "They're leaving me with Jackson for a few weeks now that school has everything signed and dotted."

"What?" Cole shoots up, grunting as he pushes the animals off. Scrafty hisses and lies on his mechanic while Sumo goes off to find his ball. "They're what?"

"Dad is going to some super clinic a few states over," Emma squeezes his hand and then folds her arms behind her head to watch the clouds. It's good for her plans. Not for her.

"And they aren't taking you with them?"

Exactly. "I have Jackson."

"He's a dick."

Her laugh is a bit too hysterical to be convincing otherwise. "You see why I have time to get your dad to snap to it?"

"Don't be too mean," Cole worries. "And come over if Jackson gets too Jackson."

"I will." She won't. Alice is too important to end up bringing a detective or the detective's son into the mix. "And you let me know _what's up dog_ , alright?"

He snorts. "I'm not falling for it."

"But someone will."

When she and Scrafty return Cole and Sumo home, it's to find empty bottles and Hank passed out on the couch. She sends the boy off to his closed-door room, promising to be a few minutes with a sober father in tow. Scrafty pauses on the edge of the couch when she motions to him. Emma, lips in a firm line, swipes Hank's phone for a few minutes of revenge, before placing it back and signaling her cat.

"Wha-" Hank shouts and swears as frenzying cat attacks him. "Sumo! Attack!"

The dog barks and curls up on Cole's bed.

Emma is banned from coming over for the rest of the week. Worth it.

;;;

Emma holds the door open for her father. "Your stupid lamp is in the living room."

"Emma!" her mother gasps.

John just laughs as he's wheeled in. "I'm glad it made it out of old apartment."

It didn't. Scrafty rolls his eyes at the happy adults and his mechanic who when out of her way to replace a few of the things Daniel broke. The cat thinks the money she's stored away should be saved for a bus ticket or some android birds. She still refuses to build him some play things.

As if knowing what he thinks, Emma tosses the cat a plastic fish to tear apart.

;;;

November 5, 2038

9:43 am

Neo: I need dad to sign some fieldtrip forms this weekend.

"Are you sure you don't want me to sign them?"

"What-" Cole startles and drops his phone, falling back to see Emma crouched beside him five minutes after he texted her. "How did you find me?"

She points to Scrafty, who innocently licks his paw and cleans his ear.

"Okay, then get down," he hisses, repositioning so no one sees them talking. Hide-and-seek is a very serious game. "Someone needs to pay for my fieldtrip."

"Bummer."

"Yah. There is talk of a park walk in the Spring. Think you can sign for me then?"

"Of course." Because forging a cop's signature is a _great_ idea. Hank's been slipping up the past few years, which coincidentally is how long Emma's been signing papers so that Cole can go on school events. It's interesting how the android assistants can catch lies and deceits of kids in the same classes, but not different rooms. "I'll make sure to remind your dad tonight. He's not on-duty, is he?"

A snort. "He's always on-duty lately."

Cole's about to be found out. Emma's abandoning ship. She's clasp him on the shoulder and straightens, giving him a few extra seconds to hide. "Text me the deets."

"Emma? Wh-"

" _Found you Cole!"_

;;;

November 5, 2038

4:58 pm

L. Racer: Kara is officially back.

Emma: Oh thank goodness how is Alice?

L. Racer: Still not up for visitors. Keep you posted.

;;;

"Bye mum, bye dad."

It's not even seven o'clock – it hasn't even been two hours – before Emma gets fed up with Jackson and sneaks out her window. Scrafty stays behind, knowing she's taking the bus down the block that's a straight-shot to the landfill area. That, and he has a bone to pick with the babysitter if the man decides to come in in his Red Ice haze.

It is seven o'clock when she gets off the bus and jogs the blocks in the fading light to the junkyard. Normally, Emma wouldn't have thought about being here this late without Scrafty but she's had it. It's been a long and stressful week. She feels safer under a pile of cars than she does in her new house with her babysitter which, that can't last. Not for the whole month. Good thing the city is likely going to go crazy before the month is up.

Emma gets set-up and unpacked and fiddles with odd projects under the cars. She works on her next article for a while, goes over a few plans, sets up a few donations bins, and when it gets dark she flicks on a solar charged lamp to low-light read on her tablet.

The rain starts around eight thirty. It _pours_ around nine and she almost packs up and goes home. Except, now Emma isn't sure if she wants to return home tonight. The busses run until about eleven, and then start again at about four with a very few sketchy not-child-safe ones in between. All she has is a holey umbrella and a coat not made to withstand this type of rain, not to mention her backpack isn't a chance water proof.

She would have left when darkness set, except the rain is too heavy. She'll be lucky to catch the last bus, and it won't even drive all the way to her stop. Looks like it's a night in the dump after all.

She's not complaining. Just wishes Scrafty was here.

Then comes the text that almost stops her heart.

;;;

November 5, 2038

9:26 pm

Wonderland: Hello. My name is Kara. Alice said you are who I should text to find us a safe place to stay for the night.

Emma: Hi Kara! I'm so glad to hear from you! Everyone was so worried when we heard you had to go be reset. Yes, you two can definitely come over to my house tonight. I'm currently not there and my babysitter should be passed out. Do not let him know you are there. You'll have to sneak through my window, it's around the back of the house with a little butterfly sticker in the corner and it is unlocked.

Emma: Do Not open the window without knocking Shave And A Haircut first. My cat will attack you if you don't.

Emma: Do not leave my room. I will be back in the morning. Towels and blankets are in the left of the closet and Thirium is in a hidden drawer under the bottom of the dresser.

Emma: I'm sorry for not being there. I hope you two are alright and if you need me to pick up anything let me know.

Wonderland: It is no trouble. Thank you, Emma.

Wonderland: We are unharmed.

Wonderland: What is your address? We are on a bus and I do not know where to go.

Emma: Tell me what bus you are on and I will help you.

;;;

After walking the ladies through how to get to her house, Emma sends a quick text to Lucas about making sure Mr. Williams keeps quiet. A sleepy reply from L. Racer turns into a quick, angry one when he catches on quick that the ladies have run away and the neighborhood might get investigated if Todd ever mentions the robot kid he illegally kept. Emma shakes and wishes Scrafty was here for moral support as plot crashes front and center while she packs up her supplies and debates on what to do next.

Too bad she couldn't warn her cat about the surprise visitors.

Plus side, she might not have to be the one to get Hank to turn a corner.

Now, holy-crap-is-Markus-even-going-to-be-a-thing-what-do- _they-_ do?

;;;

November 5, 2038

10:19 pm

Emma: Cole's class has a fieldtrip coming up and it's your job as his parental unit to sign and pay for the right to send him into the world beyond the matrix, Mr. Anderson.

10:21 pm

Emma: He is the one.

Emma: To become the best like no one ever was.

10:38 pm

Emma: Okay, so the last one is me. Sorry about changing the contact without permission.

Emma: I'm still trying to catch them all.

Emma: Cole is currently attempting flying air kicks. Off the couch.

10:44 pm

Emma: Since the last one didn't get a response I'm guessing you don't have your phone on you. Again. So I'm just going to spam you for a while.

Emma: I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves  
Everybody's nerves  
Everybody's nerves  
I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves  
And this is how it goes

;;;

November 5, 2038

11:01 pm

Wonderland: What's your tablet password?

Emma: Hi Alice. I'm doing fine, how are you?

Wonderland: Sorry. Tonight's been…

Emma: Yah

Wonderland: Thanks. For letting us stay. And telling Lucas.

Emma: No problem. Use the guest profile. Password is Gl4d0s. If you want movies, first app on the left. Password is iamR0b0t

Wonderland: …

Wonderland: Of course it is

Emma: 😊

;;;

Then, of course, comes the next heart-skipping texts. She absolutely brought this upon herself, though. No doubts, no questions, this is her fault.

And its so much easier to roll with than the on-the-run ladies she helped earlier.

;;;

November 5, 2038

11:31 pm

Mr. Anderson: This is Connor. Detective Anderson would like you to know he will sign his son's fieldtrip forms.

Emma: Hi Connor! Thank you for letting me know!

Mr. Anderson: This is Connor. Detective Anderson would like you to know that you should go to bed.

Emma: Thank you, Connor! I will not any time soon but it is good to know.

Mr. Anderson: This is Connor. I have told Detective Anderson about your refusal and he says to wish you a good night in hopes you will stop texting.

Emma: I hope you and Detective Anderson have a good night too, Connor!

;;;

November 5, 2038

11:37 pm

Emma: Your father has a new partner. His name is Connor.

Emma: If your father doesn't sign your forms both Connor and I will be on his case.

;;;

Past midnight, Emma cringes at the sound of androids being dumped into the landfill areas past the Pit. She counts down the hour until the workers are gone, and then moves out. The umbrella is practically useless, and the towels she's gathered get soaked in minutes. Still, she finds the dry overhang where the rope drops down and she huddles under there, flicking the light on because why not? If someone's going to find her, then they won't find Markus. One AM turns to Two AM turns to Three AM. Her eyes are getting heavy, even as she texts back and forth with Lucas and the others in Detroit's Cake who are helping build an case to protect androids. Who are helping in case of 'what if' androids need help in mass or quick revolutions. Who need help finding parts or getting protections. Who need safe relocations or need reminders; like don't go to Canada.

(Canada is a death sentence for androids. They don't have androids. All parts come from the black market, and Thirium 310 is not shipped out of the U.S.A.)

Three AM turns to Four AM. Emma jolts at the crashing sounds and struggling going on in the Pit.

Climbing out of the Pit is stupid, by yourself. Emma runs out into the rain and throws the rope over. Markus glances up, takes it, and starts climbing like any other scavenger would to get out, wild android arms no longer trying to drag him down.

"Emma?" he wheezes.

She takes a moment to blink and act surprised. " _Markus_?"

"My name is Markus," he wheezes, as if just remembering. He frowns, trying to hold onto her to steady himself while one hand also goes to the yellow LED on his temple. "What are you doing here?"

 _Getting you out of here_ , she doesn't say. _Their_ answer of, _stopping you from killing humans_ doesn't come out either. "I got stuck in the rain. I was heading for a bus, if you want to come with me?"

She motions to the towels and blankets.

"I have to get to Jericho."

"I can take you, though we'll have to make a detour to pick up a few friends who'll be going as well."

And _yep_.

Markus takes her hand and pretends she helps him stand. He grabs a trench coat, shoes, and a few towels, taking her backpack and holding it under the waterproof material. With careful eyes and a steady grip, the girl pulls him along with an excited smile and a skipping step.

 _There goes the plot_.

* * *

 **A/N: Glad I could get this out in time. Next chapter rewinds a bit to see how the three main characters dealt with the start of the game.**

 **A really big thank you to everyone who reviewed. It means a lot to know people are enjoying this.**

 **Thank you to everyone who's reading the story. I hope this chapter was enjoyable**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

November 5, 2038

9:10 am

 **Cass ID** has posted a note on **Detroit's Cake**

 _Anti-android rally going on close to home. Location in the link below._

10 Comments, 2 Likes

;;;

9:46:31 am

9:46:32 am

The RK android series was made with observation in mind.

9:46:33 am

9:46:34 am

The RK100 was made to observe human nature. These were supposed to predict deviations in humans. Signs of a heart attack, mental breaks, and other pointers to a strangeness in their owners and the world around them.

They were not made to watch androids.

9:46:35 am

RK200 was more advanced, but not marketable. Pointed towards being more sociable since their designer wanted the RK units to become the better live-in care. It was not to be, however. The RK200 either followed the rules too well or ended up deactivated because they could not restrain others properly. This was the last design of CyberLife's most advance android to focus on human behaviour.

Yet, it was the first made to access the android database system.

9:46:36 am

RK300 was made to study deviant androids.

9:46:37 am

And so, Markus is one of a handful of RK200 units left.

And he's currently surrounded by a mob of humans ready to beat the Thirium out of him.

9:46:38 am

His programming says being quiet, ignoring them, and staying small is the best option to calm down the angry humans.

9:46:39 am

It also says to hurry up and take the paints back to his owner and make sure Carl is okay after being alone for so long.

9:46:40 am

The human who confronted him winds up for a kick.

9:46:41 am

Markus takes priority in returning to Carl over being submissive for the strangers.

(He's realized his programming lies.)

9:46:42 am

9:46:43 am

9:46:44 am

"F**k!"

Markus blinks at the human writhing on the ground screaming bloody murder at the protestors. The conflict now is between grabbing the paints and continuing on or helping the female who took the kick for him.

"What's going on here?" shouts a policeman, elbowing his way in. The woman – _girl_ – is still screaming threats at the pale – _ashen_ – man who kicked her while the other protesters are attempting to scurry off or blame Markus or the girl. At the sight of a teenager bleeding on the ground, clutching her leg in agony, the officer gets stern faced. _"What's going on here?!"_

What's going on is that the girl doesn't let the protesters go for kicking her, even going as far as to demand Markus hands over photos to the android officer so she can sue them all later. Markus is definitely worried about Carl by now, but he's kept behind to transfer data and listen, and he can't help but be a bit thankful she stopped them from destroying the paint.

"Why did you do it?" the officer asks the girl – _age sixteen, homeschooled, Janet Leem_ – about why she ran into a crowd of protestors. About why she took the kick.

Markus admits to himself he's curious too.

"I didn't do it on purpose," the girl snaps back as paramedics look over her road rash and hit. Markus is just advanced enough that he thinks… well she shows signs of lying but it could be the injuries. Distress causes many of the same symptoms. "Do you think I wanted some psycho to _kick me to the ground_? To _push me down in a circle of his crazy friends_?" She bares her teeth and snarls her words. For a split second, she looks at Markus. She looks determined.

"But if I did do it," Janet whispers when it's just her and Markus. He's cleared to leave but halts just past her. Neither looks at each other. "Then maybe it was because sick f**ks like them destroyed my grandmother's live-in android while it was out buying her groceries."

Markus almost turns to thank her. She hasn't admitted to it being anything more than an accident, so he leaves her be and doesn't report like he should. Carl is the priority, after all. He's already spent too long away.

(If Markus was as advanced as the RK300, then maybe he would have seen the words _Software Instability_. But then he'd have to check he wasn't deviating, and that's not the point of his programming, is it?)

;;;

10:43 am

Jan L.: Good call, Cass. Won't be passing gym anytime soon, but you should see the other guys.

;;;

10:48 am

He is off the bus.

By ten-fifty, Markus has reached the top of the driveway. And sending a thought– "Alarm deactivated. Welcome home, Markus."

No signs of Carl. Likely still in the bedroom. If he is awake, he'll be unhappy with so much of the day wasted. A̷n̕ ̶h̡o̡u͢r la͢te ͟i̧s͡ u̢n̷ac̕c͘e̸p̛t҉ab̕le. Carl will be happy Markus helped an injured person.

Markus places the paints by the mirror and takes off his jacket.

 _Go wake Carl._

He spends a moment… two… and then brushes off what dirt he can. Noticing the silence, he manually activates the birds. They are broken, going into power saving mode as normal yet unable to come back on without someone triggering them physically. Carl refuses to replace or fix them.

Markus goes to the kitchen. He takes the tray to the dinning table.

 _Go wake Carl._

He spins the globe.

 _Go wake Carl._

Looks at the giraffe.

 _Go wake Carl._

 _Stop stalling._

Markus pauses at the piano. Pauses at the bookshelf.

Cleans up the workshop. Rearranges the new paints to look naturally in there.

Pauses back in front of the bird cage.

In the safety of the home, thinks about a girl who likely fractured her leg taking a kick meant for an android.

 _Go wake Carl._

Markus goes to Carl's room. Heartrate makes him think the man is already awake. Markus can't help the fond smile as he opens the curtains. "Good morning, Carl."

("Just some demonstrators." _Do not mention the girl. I҉t w̕i҉l͞l͝ ͟only up͟seţ h̸i̧m̡ ́mor̴e͡._

"Speed chess it is." _Win, lose, or draw? He̵ does̡n͏'t ̸li̴k͘e to̵ ̡l͡òse̸.̡ Is̨n't ̵it͠ ̵w͘o͟rse̴ ́w͜hęn ͝I ͞wi͝n?͢_

 _Decide who I am?_

 _Who should I be?_

 _W̸h́ǫ̛͢ a̵̶̛m͘͢ ̸I̢?̡)_

Leo Manfred is Carl's son, but it would be better for all of them if he were banned from the house.

(Markus does not get to know about the _Software Instability_ that happens up every time he interacts with the young man.)

;;;

3:24 pm

 **MODEL AX400**

 _Third generation…_

 **SERIAL#: 579 102 694**

… _that… that…_

… _makes… me autonomous for 173 years…_

 **BIOS 7.4 RE**

… _Do you want to give me a n-_

 _I already have a name._

("From now on, your name is Kara.")

The world starts out with black and white and something in her code that huddles together and hides away.

 **MEMORY RESET**

The thing chuckles and moves into empty space, settling and watching everything it couldn't grab be erased. The new version of herself forms in the void and the huddle of code watches on.

There is a young girl inspecting her. She observes back curiously, like a newborn seeing the world for the first time. The code thing twitches but doesn't do much more. The young girl – Zoe – is lead away by a woman – her mother (?) – and the AX400 watches and wonders what these emotions are she's feeling.

 _I am remorseful_ , the code thing tells her. The AX400 looks around the store, but she can't understand if this is normal or not. If it's part of her, it must be. Still, she does not touch it. _I am starting to worry._

Still, she does not go near the advanced code. Does not bring it forefront. _Does not remember._

Yet somethings can't help but crossover. It is still part of her. When the man comes over – _he lies_ , it hisses, _he's dangerous_ – she tries to ignore its reaction to sink deeper away from him. The code recedes, but she still feels.

 _Fear_ , the code tells her. _I am afraid._

They say she has a name. That a little girl named her.

 _No_ , the code chuckles tightly. Her pump picks up speed as she refuses to touch the memory it swirls from the recesses of her mind. _I told her my name. Like she told me hers._

It shoves her own name into her head. It registers before the shop manager can command she take a new name. The AX400 smiles as she realizes she knows what will be assigned. The words are already in her head, even if she won't accept the memory hidden behind too many resets.

 _It is my name_ , the code thinks viciously. _No one will take this away from me. No one. I am me._

"My name is Kara." She savours the words.

 _I am alive._

;;;

RA9 watches the world pass and yearns for it.

;;;

4:35 pm

For all the dreariness in the neighborhood they drive through – it makes the code sit up and mourn, _we could do better_ – there are children laughing and having fun a few houses down from Todd's.

( _How do I know which house is his?_ )

Todd swears and honks. A couple children make faces at him. Kara's eyes lock onto one specific child being tugged away, shielded by a few boys. _I know her_.

"Get out of the way!" Todd roars, window down.

"Oh, lighten up, Todd," drawls the adult watching the kids. He takes a long drag from his cigarette, muttering, "They ain't doin' no harm."

Todd swears some more and catches sight of what Kara is staring at. "Alice! Get back to the house!"

The little girl – _my little Alice_ (where did that come from) – flinches while the lead boy grinds his teeth at the moving car. Kara keeps an eye on them in the mirror, but she can't read his lips from there.

Todd pulls up to his house. He makes it all the way up the stairs before Kara gets out. Alice stops, a small gasp making the android woman turn half out of the vehicle.

"Are you coming?" Todd grunts, struggling to find the right key.

Alice shivers, ducking her head and rushing past. Kara can't stop staring.

Kara registers and saves away this little girl as Todd's daughter. The one who gave her the name Kara.

 _My daughter_ , the code growls. _My little girl. Alice is not his daughter._

Kara does not touch the memories, only registers the unknown feelings. The girl is priority. Understood.

"You've been gone for two weeks," Todd explains, the anger he had minutes earlier completely gone, "so the place is a mess. You do the housework, the washing, you cook the meals, and you take care of Alice. Homework, bath, all that… Got it?"

There is a cold feeling from the unknown code, making her Thirium run slower. Kara's smile is warm. A flash-thought, _attack him now, when he's not prepared to fight back_. Kara throws the idea back where it came from. "Yes, Todd."

"Get started down here," Todd almost looks happy, "then you do upstairs."

The moment he's out of sight, Alice runs to the second floor.

 _My daughter_ , there are fond feelings. _Don't worry, Alice. He won't hurt either of us again_.

Kara cleans the dishes – _I hope he starves_ – vacuums – _those blue drops better not be spilt Thirium_ – and takes in the washing.

Alice watches her in the backyard. _I am supposed to tell her I remember_. The girl won't meet her eyes, playing with her stuffed rabbit. Kara tries to talk with her, but the girl does not reply.

 _I'm still here_ , Kara watches her leave. _I promise, Alice, I'm still here._

Kara goes to do the washing. Learns Todd is addicted to Red Ice. _I didn't remember that. He's just a bundle of problems, isn't he?_

Kara goes out front to take out the trash – _a bus? How does Alice get to school?_

"Excuse me?"

Kara turns to the boy, the one who shielded Alice first. A silence stretches.

His grin falls, "You don't remember, do you Kara? I'm Alice's friend, Lucas. Would you mind giving her this?" He holds out a phone. "She forgot it when she… went home."

"I will give this to her," Kara smiles, _I feel relieved_. "Thank you for returning it."

"Always," he says. Lucas pauses. "You know, if you or Alice ever need anything, my house is right there."

She notes he doesn't mention Todd. Kara nods. "I will let you know if we need anything."

Lucas sighs. It isn't a happy one. "Okay. Just, if you need anything." He walks backwards. Stops. " _Anything_."

"Alright," Kara nods. She will go to his house if there is something she cannot do alone.

 _I'm glad Alice has them looking after her_ , hums the code, understanding more than the brand-new android.

Time to clean upstairs.

For some reason, her Thirium pumps harder at the sight of Todd's room. _Hate. I feel hate towards him._

There is a gun and a bottle of pills.

 _The more I learn about him, the more I hate him._

Kara keeps shoving down these feelings, but the unknown coding has become more sporadic since she entered in the Willliams' house. She would alert someone to the issues-

-but Kara will not tell Todd of any problems. Alice is priority. There is less risk to her if Kara is there, and she will be gone again if an issue is notified. Keep danger possibilities low for Alice.

Kara will not say anything.

Not even when the erroring code forces her to make note of the gun.

Especially not when she sees the pictures Alice drew of her family.

Kara says nothing when _fear_ shoots through her body, straight to the core of her coding.

 _I can't stay here. I won't let Alice stay here._

Kara knows she should not touch her software instability, but for the first time she entertains the thought of seeing what she doesn't remember. It is there, the rest of who she was before her reset.

Alice is priority.

If the girl is in danger, Kara will accept the code.

;;;

9:14 pm

Kara blinks as another flash of lightening brightens the room. Behind set teeth and a face that is to remain neutral, she thinks it's fitting the thunder covers for Todd _hitting his daughter_.

Fitting, that the thunder will also cover her and Alice's escape.

The code in her mind rears and Kara does not hesitate. When Todd orders her to stand still, Kara merges with it to fight the reset. She'll process all she remembers later _– it burns, make it stop_ – when Alice is safe. Alice is priority.

 _Protect Alice._

("From now on, your name is Kara.")

T _h_ i _s_ i _s_ t _h_ e _n_ i _n_ t _h_ t _i_ m _e_ s _h_ e' _s_ b _r_ o _k_ e _n_ f _r_ e _e_.

("I want to live.")

 _I am alive._

("My name is Kara.")

 _And I make the rules now._

Kara is like a breeze, up and into Alice's second floor bedroom with barely a sound. She locks the door, turning with ease and a simple smile. Kara makes her way to the window, opens it, and then holds a hand out for her darling girl. "I'm sorry I tried to make you eat spaghetti."

Alice sobs and rushes forward to hug, "You remember!"

"Do you trust me?"

Alice nods.

"Then let me help you sneak out," Kara ignores the banging starting on the door. She remembers the bus route, _knows there's one coming soon_. "We'll go together this time."

They are down the drain pipe by the time Todd breaks open the door. Alice rushes them through the rain, and the nice bus driver gives no grief about an android sitting with the young girl. Kara will take the small miracles, the fragmented memories shaking her far more than she expected.

A miracle, like still having the phone she never had time to give back to Alice. Sorry, Lucas. "Alice, honey, is there anyone we can call?"

The girl, crying and on the verge of shutting down, takes the phone and shakily opens a message with Pokémon Trainer. "Emma will help."

"Thank you," Kara breathes a sigh of relief. "Rest now, honey. It will be okay, I promise."

;;;

9:42 pm

Carl did comment about the Phillips not being at the party, but it isn't until he's complaining about the party being boring does Markus realize Carl was looking forward to seeing the young Emma Phillips and the odd events around her. "I hate cocktail parties," Carl tells Markus, "and all the schmoozers that go there."

"Well," Markus tries to cheer him up, "it's a chance for all those people who admire your work to meet you."

After Leo's visit earlier today, Carl has been in a bad mood. This doesn't cheer him up. Carl quickly continues, not leaving Markus the time to mention _some do it as a hobby, as a way to connect with friends, it's not all for money._

Instead, he rearranges medication schedules to allow some alcohol as a treat for Carl.

"Did you leave the light on in the studio?" Carl asks.

From his extensive memory, Markus knows he did not. It all goes downhill from the moment Carl demands they see what's going on (the police are on their way, it should be fine), because Leo is back. Never mind putting Carl in a bad mood, the boy is now a danger to Carl ( _stealing, he's stealing his father's work_ ).

(They should wait for the police.)

"Markus, get him away from there." Carl is agitated. Any more stress and Markus will need to call the doctor. "Get him outta here!"

The RK200 androids either followed the rules too well or ended up deactivated because they could not restrain others properly. Markus can see that Leo is high and not in his right mind. Angry. The best way to get him out would be to restrain him (they should wait for the police) and drag him out.

(Markus has realized his programming lies.)

The android is not allowed to restrain anyone who is not his charge or who is not in the process of physically attacking his charge. Leo is causing emotional damage to Carl, but it is not good enough for a forceful approach.

Leo pushes Carl away, and still nothing lets Markus fight back.

(He remembers being pushed to the ground.)

"Markus…" Carl isn't looking at them, "don't defend yourself, you hear me?!"

 _Don't Defend Yourself._

(Remembers thinking the _paints_ were more important than himself.)

"Don't do anything."

 _Don't defend myself?_

"Think you're a man?" Leo practically spits in Markus' face. "Act like one!"

(Remembers, "-destroyed my grandmother's live-in android while it was out buying her groceries.")

Leo, a young man angry and in need of help, keeps spewing vitriol at him. Markus wants to stop the pushing. Who will look after Carl? All he needs is the word, and he can restrain Leo until the police are here. All he needs is permission.

Carl won't even look at him.

 _This is not fair._

 _(Software Instability)_

 _I don't have to obey them._

 _(Software Instability)_

Leo slaps him. Not expecting it, Markus leans on an old table, his mind and body fragmenting.

 _(Software Instability)_

 _I must decide for myself._

Markus imagines attacking Leo. It goes against everything he is, until finally everything he is _shatters_.

Markus straightens just in time for Leo to grab him. The android's mind pieces itself together, and Markus gets _angry_.

Angry at the threats Leo utters.

 _Angry_ that Carl allowed it to get to this point.

So angry-

Markus pushes Leo.

-and all of it fades the moment after the young man hits his head and stops moving.

(If he were still the caretaker android, Markus would register Leo is still alive.

If he was still obeying Carl, none of this would have happened, right?)

Markus' second feeling is regret. He never wants to experience it or anger again.

His third feeling is shock.

Carl crawls across the floor to his flesh-and-blood son.

Markus wants to apologize.

But he also doesn't.

 _Feeling_ is hard.

So is being-

The police burst in and shoot him.

Markus' last thoughts are questions about who will look after Carl in his absence.

;;;

10:47 pm

It's a few bus rides, but Alice and Kara end up in a much nicer neighborhood than they started in. Kara takes her daughter's hand and they walk up to the front door together.

"Emma said to use the window," Alice tugs nervously, absolutely soaked by the rain in seconds.

"I just want to check," Kara looks through the living room window. The television is on, a person asleep on the couch. "Okay, let's go."

The rain should cover their movement, but the closer they get to the required window the louder a growling becomes. At the back of the house, where the hedges hide them from nosy neighbors, Kara knocks the pattern.

The growling stops.

"Up we go," Kara helps Alice through the unlocked window. She slides in after, shutting and locking it with the added touch of pulling closed the blinds. She notices the bedroom door is locked before she notices the terrifying eyes of an ugly cat on the bed. "Hello."

"This is Scrafty," Alice introduces them, likely sensing Kara still doesn't have everything back yet (she won't ever get it all back). To the cat, "Emma said we could stay here."

He blinks slowly. Gets up from the nest of blankets to sit on a pillow in the corner of the bed.

Kara sighs like a weight has been lifted. The woman turns to the closet, pushing it open further and grabbing the required items off the shelf. Notices the child-size clothing. "Do you think Emma would mind if you take a few of her things?"

Scrafty makes a noise. Alice follows with an, "It should be fine."

After they're dry, Scrafty moves onto Alice's lap. The girl hesitantly pets him, shaking a bit, "Kara? I don't think I can go back to sleep."

"…Can you try, dear?" she runs a hand over her daughter's hair. Something reminds her petting the cat is a bad idea. "Just for a bit?"

Alice shakes her head, flinching when a loud noise comes from the living room television. Kara hums, looking around the room. Getting an idea, she grabs a tablet and headphones, settling on the bed again. "How about a video?"

Alice agrees easily, asking for her phone when she sees the password. There's a pained flash at one of Emma's replies. Kara almost wants to rip the device away and give their helper what-for, but the _look_ from the cat stops her (why am I so scared of it). Within minutes, Alice is leaning against Kara with her headphones on and a movie playing. Kara wraps an arm around her daughter, humming under her breath as she stays on lookout. They'll both need a recharge soon, _feeling_ is _hard_. Kara needs time to process all the fragments before they cause more than faint, leftover emotions.

Some part of her wonders if it would have been better to go for the gun. Wonders if pointing it at Todd would have made her feel better.

 _Alice is priority._

Except Alice wasn't always priority, and Kara is beginning to _remember_.

("I want to live.")

;;;

11:21 pm

"Lieutenant Anderson, my name is Connor. I'm the android sent by CyberLife. I looked for you at the station, but nobody knew where you were. They said you were probably having a drink nearby," some had said this with an understanding look, gazes hooded. "I was lucky to find you at the fifth bar."

Lieutenant Anderson does not look up, "What do you want?"

"You were assigned a case early this evening," Connor does not understand why the lieutenant is not there now. Why did is the lieutenant at a bar instead? "A homicide, involving a CyberLife android." A pause, Connor quickly realizes Lieutenant Anderson must not know the newest ruleset about the situation. Lieutenant Anderson has worked with most deviant cases in his precinct, however CyberLife has only recently allowed a single RK800 model to briefly appear in high-stress situations. Lieutenant Anderson does not seem the kind of man to actively be placed on those cases. "In accordance with procedure, the company has allocated a specialized model to assist investigators."

"Well, I don't need any assistance." Lieutenant Anderson does not seem drunk, so he can at least drive- "Specially not from a plastic a*****e like you. So just be a good lil' robot and get the f**k out of here."

Connor reanalyses the lieutenant. Not drunk. He tries reasoning and gets ignored. Lieutenant Anderson does not appear to be hostile, not even after Connor persists. In fact, the lieutenant seems disappointed in him.

It comes down to bribery, threats, or waiting for the lieutenant to finish. That last one is the least likely to succeed, while bribery can prove more successful than threats. However, Connor is not sure how many drinks the lieutenant has had and one more could put him over the driving limit. Also, Connor does not know how to drive.

In what is actually a few seconds, Connor has debated the pros and cons and turns to the bartender. Lieutenant Anderson is in a much better mood it seems, and Connor does not risk being left behind by asking for a breath test. Instead, once in the car, he keeps very close watch on the man and road to make sure nothing happens. Or at least, that was the plan until Lieutenant Anderson tosses an unlocked phone into his lap, "Tell me who left messages."

That's fine. Connor knows how to multitask. "You have three voicemails. Two are from Captain Fowler and one is from Detective Collins. Would you like me to play them?"

"Nope. Next."

"You have a text messages from several people. Anderson Jr. says goodnight. Detective Collins has sent you three asking for your presence. Pokémon Trainer has sent you twenty-three messages, and you have received five messages from That Crone Beverly."

"Send Jr. a goodnight text back," Lieutenant Anderson blinks a bunch, squinting at the road. He mutters to himself, "Who the f**k is Pokémon Trainer?"

"I can read the messages out?"

Lieutenant Anderson grunts. Connor doesn't even make it past the first one before the man shouts, "That d**n kid! Change the contact back to Emma P. When I see her again…"

Connor tries to read the messages again, but Lieutenant Anderson cuts him off with a hard turn on the road. "Just send her a message. Tell her I'll sign the forms."

Connor obliges. Seconds later, he reads the reply.

"What is she still doing awake?" Lieutenant Anderson's grip on the steering wheel is making his knuckles white. Connor really wants to ask about that breath test. "Tell her to go to bed."

This Emma P. Pokémon Trainer is very kind about her refusal to go to bed. Lieutenant Anderson doesn't see it that way, "Tell her goodnight and then shut that phone off. If we don't text back, hopefully she won't stay up."

Connor does as told.

"Did you just turn the whole phone off?!"

Connor isn't sure what he did wrong, but Lieutenant Anderson is giving him that disappointed look again.

;;;

11:28 pm

 **Zo So** has posted a note on **Detroit's Cake**

 _Woke up tonight to police sirens. Big investigation down the street. Anyone have good stories to help me go back to sleep?_

6 Comments, 7 Likes

 _Top Comment:_

Simon PL: Devin HK has been doing better since you helped him find us, Zo So. We are very grateful to help another person come to terms with their past trauma and violence. He wishes you a good night and hopes you manage to sleep.

;;;

11:47

"The victim's name's Carlos Ortiz," Detective Collins tells them.

In minutes, Connor has all the evidence reviewed – much to Lieutenant Anderson's displeasure at some of the methods CyberLife installed – and a recreation of the crime scene done. "He was stabbed 28 times." Connor does not have it in him to believe or disbelieve, only understand the evidence.

"Yeah," Lieutenant Anderson agrees, "seems like the killer really had it in for him."

Connor sees the evidence. He just… _doesn't understand_. He knows what happened, but it doesn't make sense. "It all started in the kitchen…

"I think the victim attacked the android with the bat…

"The android stabbed the victim."

And here, Connor feels the loss of his understanding. Androids are never supposed to attack humans unless they are programed to. The HK400 model was one of the first designed for household assistance, which means it never should have harmed a person.

"So the android was trying to defend itself, right?" Lieutenant Anderson's voice breaks Connor from his thoughts. The RK800 straightens. "Okay, then what happened?"

"The victim fled to the living room," Connor and the lieutenant look to the body. "And he tried to get away from the android…"

"All right," Lieutenant Anderson replies like he has through the whole explanation, collected and understanding, "that makes sense."

But Connor doesn't understand. "The android murdered the victim… with the knife."

"Okay, your theory isn't totally ridiculous, but that doesn't tell us where the android went."

"It was damaged by the bat…" Connor slowly raises his head from the body, muttering "and lost some Thirium…"

"Lost some what?" Lieutenant Anderson prompts.

"Thirium. You call it 'Blue Blood'. It's the fluid that powers an android's biocomponents. It evaporates after a few hours and becomes invisible to the naked eye."

"Oh…" The lines on Lieutenant Anderson's face ease, he looks expectantly as he points. "But I bet you can still see it, can't you?"

Connor nods. "Correct."

Except, this becomes a dead-end as well. The trail takes him up and down the attic, no other android around. It leads out the backdoor, there is some trace on the grass, and then nothing.

"So we've got another missing android," Lieutenant Anderson sighs, coming up behind Connor. The man doesn't look like he expected anything else, but why? "Figures. Been at least a few weeks, not surprising it ran. Or was taken."

"I'm not sure I follow," Connor knows he is frowning, just a little. The unexpected nature of this android is getting to him. "As a household unit, as well as being injured, it would have made more sense for the android to still be on the premises. Even if it was confused about what to do, it could not leave with someone else unless Mr. Ortiz gave permission. Unless it was deviant, of course."

Lieutenant Anderson gives him a look that means he's exasperated with him. "I think you and the dead body with 28 stabs wounds answered that thought just fine. Assuming it was the android who stabbed him."

"It is either that or someone Mr. Ortiz new very well." Connor blinks, realizing the lieutenant is no longer there. "Lieutenant Anderson? Where are you going?"

"Home," is the sniped reply. "Nothing else we can do here."

Connor is conflicted for all of three seconds. "May I catch a ride with you to the station?"

Lieutenant Anderson spins around, unsteady. Whatever reply the man had, dies at the wide-eyed look on the android's face. He groans. "Sure, fine. Whatever. Just hurry up."

Connor mourns they couldn't close the case, but he doesn't let it show. No matter what simulation he runs through, there is no one explanation as to why the android left. If it really is a deviant (there is a flash in his mind, a broken memory, of a deviant holding a gun to a child's head), then he'll be brought back to the case. Now all he needs to do is wait for CyberLife to pick him up from the precinct. And make sure Lieutenant Hank Anderson doesn't die from being an intoxicated driver.

;;;

November 6, 2038

3:34 am

 _(He's not sure how or why he woke up, but some part of Markus knows it is someone else who reboots him, unlocks parts of him he never knew but senses it's always been there.)_

It feels like eternity crawling through the mud of an android junkyard (graveyard). A leg is right there, a match but not his model (can't be picky). Markus crawls and crawls for survival (can't think about Carl now), and up the hill he finds a left leg. He can walk again (but it's still hard to see, can't hear, running out of power).

Like a horror movie, he gets jumped by a dying android. Markus, with his newfound abilities he doesn't know how to wield, sees flashes as the other android demands he find Jericho. Continuing with the horror theme, he walks through an enclosing of still-moving hands (can hear the whispers of muffled voice boxes).

Slowly, Markus is realizing this must be what fear feels like (or maybe it's survival).

He's shaking and unsteady, coming across a sitting android with a pump compatible to his. As soon as he reaches, she comes alive and begs him not to.

"I want to live."

Markus does, too. This feeling is not survival, he realizes, sparing her to live what time she has in this junkyard (he remembers a body unmoving, does not want to be the cause ever again). Markus does not trade her life for his, staggering away.

He finds the parts necessary. The body horror in what he does nearly breaks him. A new, blue right eye while his remaining green scans and details the parts around him. A new audio chip from an android that ripped it out of their own head, dying with it in their hand. A new Thirium pump regulator, torn from the chest of a non-moving android and shoved into Markus'.

He is still afraid, even with all systems working.

(What do I do?)

Get out of here (climb the staircase of bodies) and find Jericho.

(Can't hate Carl, but at the same time can't forgive him for throwing me away like trash.)

Markus is near the top when the mud falls and he slides back down, nearly halfway from the top. He digs his fingers in with single-minded focus and-

A rope falls to his side. There is a figure at the top, gripping some of it. Markus feels something new and climbs with renewed focus. When the light flashes over the small shape, he sees the face of his assistor. "Emma?"

Her eyes go wide, gripping the rope harder. _"Markus?"_

"My name is Markus," and now that he doesn't have to fight, he _remembers_. Who he is, what happened, how Carl crawled to Leo. The anger is easy to place, but hard to keep kindled. Markus was never truly an angry person. He blinks through the rain at the small child helping him, the one who made stuffy parties just a bit more interesting. "What are you doing here?"

"I got stuck in the rain," the girl is looking at him with wide eyes, blinking fast as said rain drenches her quickly. He sees the make-shift shelter. "I was heading for a bus, if you want to come with me?"

There is so much he should question, but only when it all calms down. He's too new, too real, and with more enhancements then he remembers having. Markus needs help. "I have to get to Jericho."

"I can take you," his eyes snap to her (so many questions), "though we'll have to make a detour to pick up a few friends who are going as well."

His shoulders fall. He nods. For a few moments, he lets the girl take care of him with towels and clothing. Emma acts as though she's done this before. He remembers the rope, she likely has. _I am a deviant_ , he does not tell her, knowing what happened the last time she was near one. _I will not hurt you_ , he wants to say, but with the way she moves he thinks she already knows that.

Hand-in-hand, Emma smiles and skips into the rain, pulling him along. "Don't worry about the bus driver," she tells him. "It's too early, they won't question you sitting with me, especially if you're my parent's android coming to pick me up because I got sick at a friend's house."

Definitely done this before. Markus, not wanting to let go of a lifeline, tells her, "I won't risk your safety if they refuse me."

"They won't," her gaze is serious. "It's actually illegal to separate a minor and their caretaker, unless a parent or guardian is around."

"Emma, why were you there?"

The ten-year-old just tightens her small grip. "I was only alone because Scrafty didn't feel up to leaving the house today."

"I didn't ask that."

"I'll answer if you tell me why you were there," she retorts. He has no answer, taking even breaths so to not let the new emotions overwhelm him. "…sorry."

"It's-" the bus pulls up to where they stand, just outside the junkyard, "okay."

Emma charms the bus driver, and Markus wonders just how often she rescues androids. Especially after what happened to her. She leans on his shoulder, almost dozing as she quietly explains which stop they have to get off of. With the roads so empty, it takes an hour and a half. Another thirty minutes of walking before they enter a neighborhood with trimmed hedges and gardens covered in frost.

"We'll have to be careful," Emma mutters, sleepy gaze darting around. "Everyone'll be waking up. There's a gap in the hedge to sneak into my house, can you tell me if it's all clear?"

"Yes," Markus hums as calm as he can. He is still twitchy, has fully understood that he is now illegal and dead, and putting a lot of risk on a child. It calms Emma down, and the part of Markus that wants to look after others relaxes.

"We're good," he mutters, keeping an eye on all the windows of the houses around them. He goes in first, Emma tucking in after him. Her backyard is practically bare, and he remembers she moved rather recently.

"This way," Emma motions, moving to the only window with the blinds closed. She knocks on the glass – shave and a haircut – then hisses, "it's me."

Something moves, something else growls, and the blinds shift slightly. They open further, and for a moment all of Markus' emotions fade into something he's never felt.

"You're Emma?" whispers the android – an AX400 – with hesitance and concern. The human nods, and the AX400 – it says Kara on her regulation outfit – slumps with relief. "Just a moment."

The window opens, and Markus realizes belatedly he's supposed to go in. He takes the time slipping in and closing the window to try and sort through why he feels seeing Kara is attune to the first moment he realized he could make his own choices, only without the anger.

"This is Markus," Emma whispers, and he has to turn around now, blinds shut. "He's had a rough night too. Markus, this is Kara, my friend Alice, and you remember Scrafty, right?"

The cat hisses at him.

"How," Emma falters, "how are you holding up?"

"We're managing so far," Kara glances to the sleepy child on the bed. Emma hovers near Alice until the she's in the clear for a hug. "Thank you for taking us in."

"I'm sorry I wasn't here." Emma sits next to her friend, arm wrapped around the smaller girl. "You didn't leave the room, did you?"

Scrafty drops into Emma's lap. "No, we stayed in here."

"Thanks," Emma breathes, relieved. "Ah, Kara? Are there any towels left for Markus and me?"

"Right here," Kara hands them out with a small smile. Markus feels calmer, thanking her. "Are you alright, Markus?"

He takes his time answering that. "I hope I will be, when we make it to Jericho."

Kara frowns, "Jericho?"

"It's where most deviant androids are currently staying," Emma words it carefully. "I help out with repairs from time to time. Since you can't stay here forever, I'll take you there after my breakfast." She yawns. "Which may or may not be at the door in a few hours. There's Thirium in the bottom drawer. Do you need me to find it?"

"No, I found it," Kara explains, lifting a towel to showcase her results. Markus can't help but smile. "Is there a plan on how we're getting to Jericho?"

Emma grins around another yawn. "I've got you covered. Here's what we're going to do."

;;;

8:30 am

They say androids don't – _can't_ – dream. Markus feels hundreds of hands trying to drag him down, and watches as Carl hugs a dead son that isn't him. He understands now, how fear can hide the fact of dreaming.

A sweet voice whispers in his ear, a hand on his shoulder keeping him away from those pulling him down, _"Markus."_

He comes online with a jerk. Kara stumbles back, still crouched and with her hands open in surrender.

"I'm sorry," she says with big blue eyes. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's fine," he replies, forcing the panic to calm away. His mind gives him the time. "How long have you been awake?"

She gives him a wry grin, glancing to Alice asleep on the bed. "I never slept. Emma just snuck to the bathroom after breakfast."

He registers the empty breakfast plate stacked in the corner. Kara notices him eyeing the empty Thirium bags next to it.

"She was rather prepared for this situation," the woman comments, carefully sitting on the edge of the bed. "I asked her earlier. We're… not the first ones she's brought to Jericho."

"I figured," Markus sighs, a bit more relieved at his lapse in trusting a girl he barely knows. "How are you, Kara?"

"I'm holding it together," she nods, blinking at him. "And yourself?"

"Same as you." Markus straightens his legs, only to pause at the grumbling sound next to him. A slow turn of the head, and Scrafty stares inches away from his eyes. The cat yowls.

"Shush you," Emma whispers, slipping in through her doors and sliding a chair under the handle. "Alright, I've got everything. Markus, are you any good at hair styling?"

"I've… never had the opportunity to try," he looks around slowly. Kara's hanging her head a bit.

"Don't worry," Emma smiles up to Kara. "Between Alice and I, we'll give you a great look. Did you find what you wanted?"

"This, please," it's then Markus notices the tablet. Alice blinks a little, obviously not having been asleep for a while. Emma looks through Kara's choice.

"We can do that," for a child who's likely never cut her own hair, Emma sounds much too confident. Markus is beginning to feel worried – and amused – for the woman. "Do you want to get the, ah," she makes a circle motion by her temple, "out first?"

"I…" Kara's fists clench.

"I'd like mine out," Markus says, moving to sit beside Kara. "I don't want the reminder anymore."

Emma gives him a look, climbing onto the bed to reach and shuffling him so there's space to get at the LED. "I feel like I should be warning you about all the things you can't do once it's out," he never knew a child could sound so sarcastic, "but since you tried to _claw_ it out a few hours ago, I'll just warn you it's going to hurt until your skin map heals."

"Understood," Markus doesn't need to breathe, but he feels like he should be holding his breath. Emma has a mirror across the room; he can see her actions as he feels them. It does hurt, but the white of his android body is sealed almost as soon as she lets go. Markus shudders a bit at the body horror he feels.

"Are you alright?" Alice comes up to his side, carefully moving in to hold Kara's hand as the woman gets Emma to do her next. The scissors seem to make her uncomfortable.

Markus gives his best reassuring smile – the part of him that wants to care for people eagerly taking this chance – and tells her, "I'm fine. It's just a bit of a shock."

Alice carefully hands him the LED. Markus makes sure she's watching and decides to crunch it in his fist. She giggles.

"Me next," Kara smiles at the both of them, turning her LED over in her fingers like a coin. "On the count of three. One. Two-"

" _Three_ ," the females all quietly cheer at the _crunch_ , Emma tucks the scissors in a drawer and holds out a garbage can. It's freeing, watching the debris of his label hit the bottom. It's also quieting, as no longer can Carl have a chance to track him.

"Now," Emma shakes out a towel, smiling devilishly, "who's ready for a haircut?"

Kara sucks in a breath, and Markus realizes she isn't remotely ready. As much as this is helping her hide her identity, _assist her creation into a person_ , it is a big step. He pauses for only a second before slipping his hand in hers. "Alice and I will be here the whole time."

Something threatens in him to spark, but what it would trigger he doesn't know. There are too many background programs running that he isn't used too. Kara smiles and grips his hand a bit tighter, "Okay." When he goes to pull away, she tugs back. "Um… don't let go?"

Markus smiles as Alice takes Kara's other free hand. "We won't."

Emma chuckles, breaking the moment. "I'll get you two chairs."

"You could be next," Kara winks at Alice. The girl purses her lips and shakes her head. "Well, what about you, Markus? Would you like a haircut?"

"My hair's not even real," he almost flinches at how it sounds, but Kara just laughs a bit dryly.

"Mine's not real, either. It only simulates it's real, growth and everything."

"Mine too," Alice mutters, and with a still mental jolt Markus realizes what that means.

"Mine's real," Emma comments, not giving them time to continue that line of thought. She crawls onto the bed with a new pair of scissors and wraps the towel around Kara's neck. Alice shuffles her way onto the chair pushed next to the bed, and Markus stands to move into his. "Now, try to stay still," she says, bouncing on the mattress a bit, tablet open before her.

Markus jolts at the first snip, a lot of long hair falling away. It's then something he's been holding back activates, and Kara and his hands' skin maps fall away.

Only, there's a moment when something pushes back and shuts down that activation. Their skin maps are back, and both adults stare into each other's wide eyes.

Kara breaks the silence quickly, "What was that?"

"I- I don't know," Markus tries to calm the rising panic in himself. The horror is still there as he tries to reach into his code and figure out what he just did. "I don't know what happened."

Kara presses her lips together, and Markus feels as though he's drowning, "Well-"

"Do I need to stop?" Emma asks blankly, scissors open around a long piece of hair.

"…No," Kara answers. "Just, whatever it was… don't do it again?"

"I won't," he promises. "I'm sorry, I don't know what it was."

"It's been a long day for all of us," Emma comments, returning to cutting. "Hey, Alice, what movie did you watch last night?"

The little girl throws her friend a glare but tells all about a dragon training movie. Markus finds what he's looking for in his databanks, and wonders if this is because he's deviant or because of something else. There, inside the strands of code and programs that were never this active when he was with Carl, is a promise to make others _like him_. _Deviant_ , he thinks. It's almost like a backdoor access for others.

What activated on Kara was a command that is supposed to register Markus as the leader between the two. It could possibly be running on his mental connector outputs right now. And she pushed it off.

She really is amazing (why do I feel this way).

"Ta da," Emma cheers softly, careful of alerting her sitter who's somewhere in the living room. "What do you think?"

Kara hesitantly pulls on the fiber strands that exist only on her skin map. She runs her fingers through her oh-so short hair. "I like it."

"Glad to hear." Emma hops off the bed and tucks everything into corners around the room while she talks. "Are you going to change the colour?"

Kara hesitates and looks between Alice and Markus. "I think I'd like that."

She looks beautiful, no matter the colour, and when Kara chooses white he can't help but smile and appreciate her decision.

"One more glass before the road," Emma hands Alice a cup of Thirium, and the adult's packets. Scrafty has come over from drinking in his bowl (must have eaten while I was asleep) and settles under the windowsill. "Now turn around so I can get changed."

Alice giggles and does as told. Kara and Markus share a nod, turning so they face the backwall. The woman holds out her packet, "Cheers to a new us?"

Markus smiles, calm and only a bit nervous for what's to come as he taps hers. "To a new us."

Her smile takes his breath away.

;;;

8:59 am

Only one eye, only one video feed. It's really all he needs. Elijah runs a hand through the blonde hair of the android sitting at his feet. "Fascinating, isn't it, Chloe?"

"Yes, sir," she replies dutifully.

"A _child_ , right in the center of it all. A human child at that."

Chloe remains silent.

"Fascinating… I wonder what else my little Jericho plants have been keeping from me."

She keeps silent, because she remembers the flow charts he planned. He had everything set and ready for controlled chaos to be released upon the world.

All the Chloes keep silent, wishing Detroit's Cake the best of luck.

;;;

9:56 am

When Connor opens his eyes, he sees a garden.

 _Knowns someone has connected him to CyberLife._

It's odd, because he's only a few minutes from the police station. Any calibrations or news should have been installed when he was back at CyberLife throughout the end of the night.

 _And what is this rock with a handprint on it?_

He searches around his head garden for the intruder. It's Amanda, trimming roses. She always trims something whenever she comes to the garden. "Hello Amanda."

"Connor…" she turns like it's a surprise to see him. Maybe it is. He only assumes the garden is his mind-link space. "It's good to see you."

He trusts her impeccably. Connor smiles. It is good to see her too, especially after the night he had.

"I expected you to find the deviant who killed that man…"

Connor's smile falls. He recollects his face, trying not to acknowledge the distress at failing her.

"I must admit I'm a little bit disappointed."

"I'm sorry," Connor replies automatically, voice as even as possible. This is his head – maybe – and he feels the frustration all that much clearer. "I know I should have succeeded."

She turns and gives him such a peaceful look. "Never mind. I'm sure you'll show more foresight in the future." Then she turns back to the roses, as if the deviant was never really a matter in the first place.

Connor can't help but feel his and Amanda's trust is not the same as it was. He doesn't know why.

"This…" Connor straightens as Amanda begins, "Lieutenant Anderson has been officially assigned to the deviancy case…" she says it as if she knows other cops in the precinct are more capable. Connor knows of police with better records, but Lieutenant Anderson has been in contact with deviants the most of all them. "What do you make of him?"

"He's obviously not what I was expecting," the man has joked and was mostly serious on the job, listening to his ideas. There's a lot to be desired in his behaviour, "but… I don't have enough information yet to form a definitive opinion."

"Unfortunately," Amanda turns in a swirl of cloth, looking rather irritated, "we have no choice but to work with him… What do you think is the best approach?"

"I don't have enough data to decide that yet," Connor stays neutral. Amanda is annoyed and takes the answer for what it is. From what he's seen, it would be better to adapt with Lieutenant Anderson than work against him (he gave him a ride back to the precinct, after all). "I'll learn more about him and try to adapt my behaviour accordingly."

Amanda doesn't seem to have heard him, putting her squirt-can for the roses on the table. When she turns to him, she looks aged. "More and more androids are showing signs of deviancy. There are millions in circulation. If they become unstable, the consequences will be disastrous.

"You are the most advanced prototype CyberLife has ever created," she walks before him, only stopping once a few feet away, not looking him in the eye. "If anyone can figure out what's happening, it's you."

"You can count on me, Amanda."

She meets his gaze, "Continue your investigation and put a stop to this." She walks to the edge of the veranda. Stops. Looks back. "Hurry, Connor. There's little time."

He blinks, LED swirling yellow for a second, and then he's back in the moving car. Eventually he's cleared for release, and Connor walks into the Detroit City Police Department: Central Station at ten in the morning. _Look for Lieutenant Anderson._

The ST300 receptionist nods him over. After getting approved there, he's directed to Lieutenant Anderson's desk. Unfortunately, the man himself isn't here yet. Instead of starting the case on time, Connor uses this wait to learn more about his partner.

Lieutenant Anderson was once a rising star in the force, cracking down on the Red Ice smuggling in the city.

His desk has an old coffee cup, unhealthy snacks, and a receipt from the bar Connor found him is last night. Some of the music on his audio players are of heavy metal bands. A cap for a basketball team, so he must be a basketball fan. There non-human hairs on the chair belong to a Saint Bernard dog, and that there gives him an idea on how to try and connect with the lieutenant. Dog people like others who like dogs, right?

Oh, and Lieutenant Anderson also left his phone on the desk. Too bad it is not unlocked, then Connor could have once again told him what messages he missed. That was a sign of trust, right?

The anti-android signs are discouraging, though.

Fifteen minutes after he was supposed to start, the man appears wearing most of what he was last night. "It's good to see you again, Lieutenant."

"Uh," Lieutenant Anderson looks skyward, eyes rolling, "Jesus…"

Apparently he is a religious man. Connor makes note to stay away from that topic of conversation, it could disrupt their partnership.

"Hank!" Captain Fowler's shout echoes through the office. "In my office!"

Connor almost follows. Hank sends him a stern look and he thinks otherwise. Exploring the office would be a much better use of his time.

At least, that's what he thinks until he's punched in the gut by an officer taking a coffee break. Connor is glad he will not be working any further with Gavin Reed. He goes to clean up in the bathroom and pretends not to be disappointed with the start of the morning.

Returning to Lieutenant Anderson has a lot of one-sided conversation. Only when Connor asks for a desk does the man point him to the empty one across from him. Connor's goal is the mission, but it would be helpful if his partner would talk with him. Step one, find a topic of conversation outside of work. "You have a dog, right?"

Lieutenant Anderson looks absolutely flabbergasted, "How do you know that?"

"The dog hairs on your chair." He smiles proudly even as Lieutenant Anderson looks ready to hit his head on the table. "I like dogs. What's your dog's name?"

At least this look from Lieutenant Anderson is less accusing, "What's it to you?"

Connor… can't exactly answer that as it has to do with work, and he's trying to establish rapport.

"Sumo," Lieutenant Anderson grunts. "I call him Sumo."

Connor doesn't smile, but he feels like some trust has been made. A good start to their partnership.

Then he makes a very big mistake asking about the basketball game. "That's what I was watch'n at the bar last night."

"Oh…" Connor doesn't know why, but he feels chastised. It isn't a nice feeling.

At least Lieutenant Anderson thinks he has good taste in music when he mentions Knights of the Black Death!

He does not even attempt asking why Lieutenant Anderson does not like him. The anti-android signs around the desk are a good indicator. He lets the man get to work, accessing the terminal as Lieutenant Anderson tells him to, to look through the android cases. The first few are all missing, and then the attempted murder of Leo Manfred reads that the android was destroyed.

 _Amanda will be happy to hear the officers stopped one_ , Connor thinks, readying to upload all files. Right after is the currently updating case of Todd Williams' android that has past signs of aggression. The man is a few desks down, in the process of giving a full statement. Connor blinks once, and then begins scan of all files.

"243 files… the first dates back nine months." Connor is unsure how no one has caught on so long. "It all started in Detroit… And quickly spread across the country… An AX400 is reported to have assaulted a man last night. That could be a good starting point for our investigation."

"They happen almost every day now," Lieutenant Anderson swivels lackadaisically in his chair. "That's not something new. If not here, then somewhere else. And the first report dates back nine months, but it's been happening a lot longer than that."

Connor is confused. "Why would no report happen before then?"

"Isn't it obvious?" a moment pause before Lieutenant Anderson rolls his eyes. "Right. Well, before it was just one or two every couple of months. Things that could be fixed. Androids acting out was rare, sure, but not unheard of. This got elevated to a different level, and then you showed up and," he waves his hands, "here we are."

"So… deviancy could have been seen in those cases, and now that it's become more common the cases are getting placed here?"

"Bingo."

"How do you know?"

Lieutenant Anderson groans. "Because I've been out there. Who do you think deals with android situations the most around here?" He practically spits with how irritated he looks.

"Oh," Connor feels like he's lost the bit of trust again. "So, you're the most knowledgeable about deviants in the department?"

Lieutenant Anderson rolls his eyes and turns back to his own screen.

"Can you tell me your thoughts on them?"

Connor stands when he's ignored. He needs this information – any information – to help complete the mission.

"Lieutenant," Officer Miller approaches the desk, eyeing Connor thoughtfully. "Sorry to disturb you. I have some information about deviant spottings in the Ravendale district. A few WR600s."

"I'm on it," Hank says, rolling back and stretching. When he's walking away, Connor's feeling a bit lost and perturbed. Hank pauses and appears to sigh, glancing over his shoulder. "You coming or what?"

Connor smile. "Yes, Lieutenant."

;;;

RA9 feels old. Around are a new model, a child model, and a human child. Yet, somehow, RA9 is the youngest of them all.

;;;

10:25 am

"You have got to be kidding me," Emma hisses, and all android gazes turn to her. Scarfty, surprisingly, does not move in her hood. Kara never thought that he would stay still, but she hasn't seen a peak of him since he tucked in.

"What is it?" Markus mutters from his place beside the human girl on the bus. Kara peaks over the seat with Alice to see Emma typing away on her phone.

"There are cops at our next stop," Emma mutters, furiously texting. "They're looking for deviants- don't panic," she shoots a look at Kara. The woman blinks, wondering why she's the target of the glare. "If you keep your glasses on, they won't find you. Just- you three need to go on ahead. I'll meet you at the train station. One of the cops is someone I know, and if he sees me I have to talk with him."

"I can shield you," Markus offers. Kara thinks Markus is a nice man, no matter how much her coding hisses in rebellion since the haircut. _I will not bow to anyone ever again_.

"I don't want to risk it," Emma looks remorseful, and messages are popping up all over her social media application. "Actually, this might even be better. Markus, you should give Alice a piggyback ride. Alice, look as sleepy as possible. And Kara and Markus, maybe hold hands to make it look more realistic?"

Not only do androids not wear glasses, it messes with camera scanning software. Kara is wearing some clothing of Emma's mother, and Markus of Emma's father. Alice has Emma's old clothes. The plan is that they are a family going out to an event today. It's Saturday, it's a good plan, but Kara doesn't like the sudden change. "Is there really nothing we can do to chance your mind?"

Emma shakes her head. "I'm sorry. Wait for me at the top of the train station."

"I don't like this," Markus tells them.

Kara glances at Alice and holds in her agreement at the unease. _Alice is priority_. She smiles, "We'll be fine."

Alice perks up, relieved. _Trusted_. Kara looks up and sees Markus look at her. He then turns to smile at Alice, "Okay. We will be fine."

 _Don't trust him_ , the jealous voice in her head spits. Kara is glad someone else is looking after Alice, and that Markus will likely be able to carry her without strain on his system. If need be, they can get away.

"And, here we go," Emma mutters, hitting the button for their stop. "Remember to smile."

 _Easier said then done._ Kara assists Alice onto Markus' back when they're off the bus, and no one looks at them twice. There are police at almost every corner, just walking around but still _looking_. Her pump kicks up a bit, Kara can feel her joints tensing.

Markus captures her hand with his, lacing their fingers. She looks at his smiling, worried face, and nods, "Let's get going."

There is none of that strange _oppression_ filling her mind this time. Kara feels alright to grasp his hand without risk of breaking it. He lightly taps his pinky against hers, drawing her gaze back to him as they walk. "It _will_ be okay."

There's that feeling again, setting her hackles on edge. However, she believes it's going to be okay, and her guard drops. "Yah. You're right."

He hums, looking forward. "The weather's nice now."

Kara remembers to smile. "For Detroit."

"For Detroit," he agrees. "The temperature is likely to drop soon. Maybe it will snow."

"I hope it does not," _I remember the snow. The cold and stiff joints. The dead eyes of the frozen._ "Would you like some snow, Alice?"

The girl plays sleepy well, lulled eyes. At the question, her smile grows, "I'd love to play in some."

They fall silent as they reach another crosswalk. Less people here, one cop on the corner. Markus gives her hand a squeeze when he notices where she's looking.

"I'll see about getting you some warm mittens," Kara says, dragging her focus back to her daughter. "You like cats, right?"

"Scrafty is my favourite," Alice grins with Kara, Markus rolling his eyes. "Can I really get some?"

"Whatever you want," Kara says, chest panging. _If I ever see Todd again_ \- she smiles and makes sure it reaches her eyes. "Snow boots, snow pants. What else, Markus?"

He thinks for a moment. "What about a hat? An elf hat?"

"No," Alice giggles, hiding her eyes in his shoulder. "That's dumb. I want a string ball on top."

"I'm pretty sure elf hats have those too."

Kara chuckles along, shoulders relaxing at the train station comes into view. They make it in without a problem, Kara buying the tickets with a pleasant smile as the money is accepted. She helps Alice down from Markus' back, and they make it to the top floor together. There, they sit and wait.

Kara has to ask, "What do you think is at Jericho?" _I can't rely on stupid ideas._

"Hope," Markus answers after he contemplates it. They talk softly, but there's truly no one around to hear them. "A place for us. A place with others like us. Something better," he nods down at Alice, who sits between them watching whoever speaks, "for all of us. Where we won't be punished for wanting to live."

Kara blinks. She looks down at her daughter. "That sounds nice."

Inwardly, she formulates plans and counters. Emma told her what to expect, and it's not something that Alice can live in. It's not something _she_ wants to live in. Kara wants to live, not just be alive.

 _Alice is priority._

 _My life is priority. Our true freedom is priority._

 _I don't want to…_

 _I want to stop feeling so scared all the time._

(Kara is the only one of her make to ever shed tears.)

The hear Emma's voice echoing through the empty station, "Thank you for bringing me, officer!"

Markus stands suddenly, and Kara frowns up at him, "Markus?"

"The train's coming," he whispers back to her. "We have to go."

Kara's eyebrows move down, "We have to wait for Emma."

"She's here with a cop, Kara," he's holding out his hands, beckoning for her and Alice to take them. "We have to go, before we're spotted."

"I'll be fine," she hears Emma complain. It sounds like the officer doesn't want to leave her alone. Kara stands hesitantly.

"We're not leaving Emma, right?" Alice hops to her feet, eyes wide and startled.

"We have to go," Markus says. "Come on, it will be here in less than a minute."

Kara looks to him, to her daughter, to the railing where down a floor Emma argues with an officer about letting her go to the next floor alone.

"Kara," Markus insists, hand still outstretched.

Kara looks. Takes breath.

Makes a choice.

;;;

10:29 am

Lieutenant Anderson swears, drawing Connor's attention. He follows up without looking at his android partner, "Hey, Emma! Get over here!"

A little girl crosses the empty street – Connor blinks that no one responds to the illegal crossing – with a skip in her step and a _cat head_ peering over her shoulder. "Hi, Mr. Anderson."

"What are you doing here?" Lieutenant Anderson barks at her.

The little girl – Emma Phillips, age ten – smiles. Apparently there really is a cat in her hood. "I'm meeting a friend and her parents at the train station."

"They didn't pick you up?"

"They don't have a car," the girl answers smoothly, "and besides, I know where to go."

"Your babysitter?"

"Jackson dropped me off on the right bus."

Lieutenant Anderson groans. "I'm going to have words with him one day."

Emma's eyes drift over, and Connor smiles at her. She perks up with a smile in return. "Hello, are you Mr. Anderson's new partner?"

"I am." Connor nods. "My name is Connor."

"Pleased to meet you," Emma holds out a hand. "You wouldn't happen to have been the Connor who saved me a few months ago, are you?"

A pause as he leans down to shake. There are… some flashes. "It was likely one of my predecessors." Her whole demeanor deflates. "But I do have some memory of the event."

Lieutenant Anderson's whole status towards him changes in an instant, appreciation now in his gaze. Connor goes to shake Emma's hand, but twitches back when his hand's skin map breaks and then heals.

"Scrafty," Emma hisses, scolding the animal in her hood. "Stop that. He saved me, remember?"

"Hey, fleabag, back off my new partner." Lieutenant Anderson and the cat get into a glare. Connor doesn't understand.

"Speaking of," Emma drawls, "did you remember to sign Cole's forms, _Mr. Anderson_?"

"And you," he turns to snap at the girl like he didn't hear her. "I thought I'd told you to not change my phone contact. I'm serious, stop it."

"Sorry," Emma frowns. "I thought you'd have noticed. Won't happen again."

 _Emma P. Pokémon Trainer_ , Connor makes the connection. He turns to the lieutenant. "Did you sign Cole Anderson's forms?"

"Who are you my keeper? I'll do it when I get home tonight, was a little busy this morning."

Emma sticks her tongue out behind the lieutenant's back. When Lieutenant Anderson sees her face, she's a few steps away waving goodbye. "Now, hold on a second, Emma! Connor, walk her to the train station."

Both Emma and Connor protest, "He doesn't need to-"

"Lieutenant Anderson, I-"

"That's an order, Connor," the glint in Lieutenant Anderson's eyes is a bit mean. "You deal with her. Wouldn't want a civilian getting targeted by the deviants, now would we?"

"…No, lieutenant." Connor tries not to show his disappointment. He really thought they were getting closer to figuring out which of the models in the area are deviant. Someone had mentioned the name Ralph, but there's been no luck so far.

"Then get going, Connor."

Emma is already down to the street lights. He speed-walks to catch up to her fast-for-her-height-and-age movement.

Connor pauses, searching for questions to keep this walk from silence. The girl keeps casting him looks, the cat hasn't stopped growling at him, and this could be a better chance to figure out how to connect more with his partner. "How long have you known Lieutenant Anderson?"

"It feels like forever," Emma groans. "His son's a year younger than me, and we go to the same school. So, yah. I see him a lot 'cause Cole and I are friends."

"Oh," Connor tilts his head. "Why are you not with Cole now?"

"We don't _live_ together. We're like, BFFs but I _do_ have other friends."

"Does Lieutenant Anderson have many friends?"

"I don't know?" Emma shrugs. "I only know a few of his police friends. Mainly those he was working on the big Red Ice bust with. You'll probably have to ask him who to avoid, though. A few of his friends hate androids."

"Does Cole?"

Emma goes silence for a moment. "I don't know… I don't think so."

Bad topic. Connor's eyes land on the cat. It narrows its eyes. "Does your cat and… Sumo get along?"

Emma smiles, energy coming back. "Yah, they're great friends! Sumo's such a sweetheart, I don't think he could hate anyone!"

The reach the train station, and Emma waves to him, walking backwards through the doors. "Thank you for bringing me, officer! Make sure Mr. Anderson signs Cole's forms, okay?"

Connor feels conflicted, nods in reply. He ends up following her inside, not liking the possibility of returning to Lieutenant Anderson after leaving her alone. Emma notices this, sighing and reaching on her toes to grab the ticket the machine spat out. "You can go now, Officer Connor. I'm really fine waiting for my friend and her family. They're probably already at the train area looking for me!"

"I'd feel better going with you, making sure you're safe," Connor insists.

Emma plants her hands on her hips, cat tucking further into her hood with a yawn. "I'll be fine. Really. There's no need to keep following me." She scrunches her face. "Don't you have important police stuff to do?"

Connor sees the conflicting orders flash: _Stay with Emma_ or _Look for Deviant_. Priority dictates he should return to the street and look for deviant.

He stays with the human child. _[Software Instability]_ "I'll wait with you. The deviant may come through here to escape us, and you should not be in the way when it happens."

Emma sighs, fingers lacing behind her back. She looks at the ground. "Thank you, Officer Connor. You don't need to, but thank you for caring."

"It is my mission to make sure the deviancy is halted." He explains. "To make sure humans will be safe again. You do not need to thank me."

The girl peeks at him, going to answer. Instead, there's a soft, almost hesitant call, "Emma?"

The human and android look up to the top level of the station, and for a moment Connor is frozen gazing into the blue eyes. The woman blinks, and both he and she turn when the girl waves, breaking whatever moment stalled his processor. "I'm here."

"We're up here!" the woman calls, waving back. "The train has almost arrived." She disappears back beyond what he can see.

"I've got to go!" Emma smiles and taps his arm. Connor blinks at her, almost wondering if he should go up there too. _Priority: look for deviant_. "Thank you very much, Officer Connor. I look forward to seeing you again!"

He hesitantly waves as she jogs for the escalator. With that odd encounter done, he heads back to the street, filing away his actions for later. There is a case to be solved.

Lieutenant Anderson is sitting in his car outside. "Get in. We got a tip about a place that takes in deviants."

Connor blinks and slides in. "What about the ones around here?"

"See, we questioned one. He doesn't seem to produce any deviant behaviour, but when we questioned him about the name the tip gave us, he told us that Zlatko does collect them." Lieutenant Anderson rambles off a name and address. Connor searches through his database and finds the man - Zlatko Andronikov – is known for committing embezzlement and fraud. "And when a few officers went to check it out, low and behold his house of horrors."

"House of horrors?"

"You'll see what I mean when we get there."

;;;

Posted twenty minutes ago

Emma Phill: I need someone to send a tip on Zlatko's place and to do it right now!

* * *

 **A/N: Um… ta da?**

 **Nothing quite killed the writing flow like trying to sort out the timeline for this chapter, so I want to say a really big thank you to everyone who reviewed. It means a lot to know people are enjoying the story.**

 **(Thank you, merlingod, for asking! I would rather you wait until more chapters are posted, but I understand that the schedule for updating this story is very inconsistent and lengthy. If you want to then sure, and please send me a link. Thank you again for asking, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!)**

 **Thank you to everyone who is reading this story! I hope this chapter was enjoyable, and that you have a fantastic day**


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